20000102

Joint business council can boost Pak-Qatar trade, says Arif Kamal

ISLAMABAD: Pak-Qatar current trade worth 42 million dollars per year is not commensurate with the strength of relationship between the two countries but the idea of setting up of a joint business council can give a fillip to their commercial relations.

Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Pakistani Chamber of Commerce have agreed recently to establish a business council, Pakistan's Ambassador to Qatar Arif Kamal said in an interview with daily Gulf Times.

The council, once set up, would go a long way in boosting trade between the two countries.

"We also hope that with the stabilisation of the economic situation in Pakistan, Qatari investors will find greater opportunities for initiating joint production ventures related to consumer goods, especially agro-based products and also other products needed in the local market," he said.

Both sides, he said, were willing to tap the existing potential in the field, he added.

Qatar has the potential to acquire the status of another re-export market in the region and this would bring in greater exports to Qatar in due course.

He said the new administration under Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf," seeks to initiate processes guaranteeing true democracy that is responsive to the country's needs."

Its priorities included eradication of corruption and nepotism at all levels of governance. Its objectives are "very clear and consistent with the aspirations of the common man."

He said Pak-Qatar relationship represented continuity which is unaffected by change of leadership either here or there.

The ambassador said that exchange of visits is an invariable, an on-going process. Chief Executive's visit to Qatar attested to the strength of our relationship and its continuity.

"The intensity and frequency of bilateral contacts form the cornerstone of our relations. As for our geopolitical links, we are in regular consultations on bilateral agenda and also on roles we play at the level of GCC, Saarc OIC, the UN etc," he said.

To another question, he said, it was sure that both the people of Pakistan and the leadership have a commitment to undiluted democracy.

The ambassador said for an average Pakistani the first and foremost agenda is stability, economic revival, self-reliance and right to manage his affairs at all levels of governance. They would also like corruption and nepotism to be eradicated in the process.

He said there were not many Pakistanis in jail in Qatar. "Not many, fewer than 100," he said. The embassy has a full time community welfare officer who visits the jail at least once in three months. APP