KARACHI: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Friday held numerous meetings with foreign delegates from Japan, Kuwait, China, Nigeria and other countries and discussed ways and means to enhance trade and investment in Pakistan, besides exploring the possibilities of undertaking joint ventures in the textile sector.
The meetings with foreign delegates were attended by President KCCI Younus Muhammad Bashir, Senior Vice President KCCI Zia Ahmed Khan, Vice President KCCI Muhammad Naeem Sharif, Former SVP KCCI Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi and KCCI Managing Committee members.
An 18-member delegation from Japan led by leader of the delegation Tomomichi Honda who was also accompanied by Pakistan’s Consul at the Consulate of Pakistan in Osaka, Japan Muhammad Naseer visited KCCI’s pavilion to exchange views on matters of mutual interest. Most of the Japanese delegation members, who visited Karachi city for the very first time, highly appreciated the wide range of textile products exhibited at TEXPO Pakistan which not only provided them an opportunity to thoroughly review what Pakistan has been offering but also helped them in finding the right partner. They also expressed willingness to enhance trade with their Pakistani counterparts and look for investment and joint ventures opportunities in Karachi.
A five-member delegation from Kuwait led by Commercial Counselor of Pakistan’s Embassy in Kuwait Agha Saeed Ahmed informed that the Kuwaiti delegation has struck a couple of textile deals during TEXPO Pakistan and was fairly optimistic of finalizing more deals in near future which would help in improving Pakistan’s textile exports to Kuwait.
He said that the Kuwaiti delegation was impressed to see arrangements made by the organizers to facilitate foreign exhibitors during their visit to Karachi. He stressed the need to effectively market Pakistani goods and services in Kuwaiti market and also focus on enhancing interaction with Kuwaiti business and industrial community so that Pakistan could enhance its presence in Kuwait. “Despite the odds and difficulties, we have to coup up through interactions”, he said, adding that good marketing of Pakistani products and positive media campaign was needed to counter the negative perception about Pakistan.
Lots of possibilities for undertaking joint ventures exist in textile sector, hospital services, education and construction sectors whereas the Pakistan business community should explore business ventures in the food sector including fish farming and agriculture as well because Kuwait was a food deficient country.
A twenty-member delegation from China, which was led by Commercial Counselor of Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing Dr. Irfa Iqbal, while expressing keenness of setting up Chinese industrial and training units in Pakistan, informed that construction work on some of these projects will start soon in Punjab. They sought KCCI’s assistance in tracing potential fabrics and yarn suppliers as some of the Chinese delegates were desperately looking for the right partners who could supply these products at competitive rates.
They said that although many of Chinese delegation have been doing business with Pakistani businessmen but they want to further explore new avenues of investment and look for more business opportunities.
A delegation from Nigeria led by Head of Chancery, High Commission of Pakistan in Nigeria Asim Ali Khan along with President of Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture Umar Farouk also visited KCCI’s pavilion to look for partners in textile materials which were much better as compared to what was being supplied by many other countries including China. Both Chambers can work together to look for improving relationship between Pakistan and Nigeria which will create a win-win situation for both countries.
