Ambassador-designate Stresses Steps To Enhance Trade With Denmark

Pakistan's Ambassador-designate to Denmark Shoaib Sarwar said on Friday that extraordinary steps would have to be taken in consultation with the business community to attract maximum foreign direct investment (FDI) and enhance trade with the country of his appointment

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Jun, 2023 ) :Pakistan's Ambassador-designate to Denmark Shoaib Sarwar said on Friday that extraordinary steps would have to be taken in consultation with the business community to attract maximum foreign direct investment (FDI) and enhance trade with the country of his appointment.

Addressing the business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), he acknowledged the economic strength of Faisalabad, particularly in the field of textile, and said it was strange that only one firm was included among the top 50 exporting companies to Denmark. He said probably the FCCI members had not focused on this small country, which was included among the most developed and economically strong countries with maximum purchasing power. He motivated the exporters to exploit the Danish potential in addition to re-exporting their products to the EU countries.

He proposed that an FCCI trade delegation should visit Denmark so that tangible steps could be taken to deepen the footprints of Pakistani textile there. He promised the best possible support and facilitation to the serious exporters intending to enter that market. He also underlined the importance of E-commerce and said that many countries were purchasing cheap Pakistani products and selling those under their own brand Names at hefty profit. He said that Pakistani exporters should also utilise the platform of Amazon to have direct access to the global buyers. He promised zoom meetings with the Danish buyers so that Pakistani exporters could avail the untapped markets.

Earlier, FCCI President Dr Khurram Tariq welcomed Shoaib Sarwar and introduced Faisalabad and its business community. He said the FCCI was a half century old institution advocating for the business community of this agro industrial city. He said that it has 8,500 members, who belong to 118 sectors and subsectors of trade and industry.

He said that Faisalabad has one of the largest industrial estates which is most suitable for joint ventures in addition to attracting foreign investment along with technology transfer. He said that Denmark is relatively a small country but it has a strong economy with specialisation in dairy and renewable energy sectors. He said that although Pakistani exports to Denmark are minimal. "Out of 50 top Pakistani exporters, 50pc belong to Faisalabad," he added.

Former president FCCI Mian Javed Iqbal said that Denmark had the best universities and "we must try to get maximum educational scholarships for our students". He said: "Pakistan has been blessed with human resources and we must try to equip them with the latest skills and technology." He particularly identified IT and artificial intelligence where our youth could outperform if provided with adequate opportunities and a conducive environment.

Madam Naheed Akthar, Director TDAP Faisalabad, said Pakistani exporters could have B2B meetings with their Danish counterparts with the courtesy of the Pakistani embassy through zoom meetings. Senior Vice President FCCI Dr. Sajjad Arshad said that Denmark has a well developed tourism sector and we should also avail from their experience and expertise in this segment.

Former presidents Ayub Sabir, Mian Muhammad Shafique, Executive Members Muhammad Azhar Chaudhry, Ghulam Hussain, Mian Tayyab, Faisal Ali, Shafique Hussain Shah, former executive member Sheikh Muhammad Fazil, Haji Muhammad Abid and Noman Malik participated in the question answer session.

Vice President Haji Muhammad Aslam Bhalli offered vote of thanks while SVP Dr. Sajjad Arshad presented FCCI memento to Shoaib Sarwar. The designated ambassador also recorded his impressions in the FCCI visitor's book.