FPCCI President Satisfied On Growth In Pak Exports To Germany

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Dec, 2022 ) :President FPCCI Irfan Iqbal Sheikh has expressed his satisfaction over Pakistan's bilateral trade surplus with Germany crossing the psychological mark of $1 billion with clear indications that Pakistani exports are on a growth trajectory with the world's fourth-largest economy and the largest in Europe with a GDP of $4.5 trillion.

However, President Mr. Irfan Iqbal Sheikh noted, the exports of $2.5 billion are still below the real potential as there is huge demand of Pakistani textiles in Germany, he said in his message on the visit of Deputy Consul General of Germany in Karachi Andreas Wegner to the Federation House, said a statement from Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.

FPCCI's Senior Vice President Suleman Chawla, SVP FPCCI said Pakistan should be focused on the renewal and expansion of GSP plus to make full use of the very potential German consumer market. He emphasized export of more services and human resources to Germany.

Vice President Shabbir Mansha said Pakistan could benefit from Germany enormously through technology transfer as Germany was one of the most advanced countries in the world technologically. He requested the visiting diplomat that German Embassy should consider making visa issuance process speedy and more forthcoming for Pakistan as big number of businessmen, workers, tourists and students wanted to go to Germany for their respective fields of interest.

Sahibzadi Mahin Khan, Convener of FPCCI's Standing Committee on Diplomatic Affairs, proposed that the scope of GIZ programs of Germany should be expanded to other provinces of Pakistan.

Germany's Deputy Consul General Andreas Wegner said most of the FPCCI demands could be met with mutual consultative processes; and his country was willing to help with polytechnic and vocational training, to establish collaborations between German and Pakistani IT companies. It would offer German language courses, help in the rehabilitation of flood affectees, foster the capabilities to cope with climate change, facilitate the renewable energy projects, help create working relationship between FPCCI and Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) and encourage postgraduate students to apply for PhD scholarships in Germany.

The German diplomat specifically expressed his concerns that millions of flood affectees of Pakistan were in the need of rehabilitation and, Germany had committed �63 millionin assistance so far. However, he added, total cost of rehabilitation & reconstruction may be as high as $30 billion.