KARACHI: Ambassador of Austria Dr Brigitta Blaha has visited Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and held a meeting with KCCI President Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra.
During a meeting with KCCI officer-bearers, she said that Austria is keen to develop economic, trade and commercial relationship with Pakistan as there was a potential to enhance the existing trade volume between the two countries.
The Ambassador said that the Honorary Consulate General of Republic of Austria was recently reopened in Karachi with a cultural event as they believe that such events help in improving people-to-people contacts between countries. Austrian Embassy will be holding more such cultural events in order to improve the image of Pakistan, she added.
Commercial Consular of Austrian Trade Commission Richard Bandera stated that efforts were being made by Austrian Trade Commission to promote the positive image of Pakistan. “It is one of our first duty to bring people here as foreigners are afraid of visiting Pakistan due to various incidents being reported in the media”, he added.
Honorary Consul of Austria in Karachi Babar Tajammul, Commercial Counsellor Austrian Trade Commission Richard Bandera, KCCI Vice President Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan, KCCI Diplomatic Missions and Embassies’ Liaison Sub-Committee Chairman Muhammad Naeem Sharif and Managing Committee members were also present at the meeting.
Earlier, KCCI President Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra stressed the need to look for ways and means of how to enhance trade ties between the two countries as the existing low trade volume does not depict the real potential between the two countries.
“During Fiscal Year 2014, Pakistan’s exports to Austria amounted to $42.94 million while imports from Austria aggregated to $92.93 million”, he informed. He was of the view that overall doing business situation has improved significantly and was likely to improve further in the days ahead.
The Austrian businessmen and industrialists will surely have a win-win situation as the investment policy of the government guarantees 100 percent repatriation of investment to foreign investors.
