S.African Investors Keen To Invest At Gwadar

KARACHI, Jan. 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 04th Jan, 2017 ) : South African investors are keen to invest at Gwadar through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and have demanded allotment of 100 acres of land to set up state of the art industries there.

Chairman, Pakistan South Africa Business Forum Rafiq Dawood Memon, in a statement here on Wednesday, said the South African business community wants Pakistan government to immediately take the required steps for making sixty three African states as economic partners of Pakistan like China.

They should be included in CPEC as well. He said Pakistan South Africa Business Forum was very powerful platform to motivate the business community there and this included the prominent businessmen from both the sides.

He said South Africa is the gateway to all these 63 states and Pakistani exporters could benefit by increasing their exports . There was a big demand for Pakistan's textile, rice, food items, confectionery, surgical and sports goods etc.

Pakistani businessmen there were not only promoting soft image for their country but were doing aggressive marketing of Pakistani goods in coordination with Pakistan High Commission there, he said.

Their efforts have resulted in mobilizing South African investors and traders and promoting bilateral trade and investment.

This forum was working on setting up Pakistan community centre and trade centre at Jhansberg.

He sought the government's help in this regard. At this trade centre, Pakistani goods would be displayed which would help capture good share in African markets. He said that in a meeting with Chief Executive Officer of Trade Development Authority (TDAP) S.M.Muneer who desired to hold a Pakistan- single country exhibition at Jhansberg in April 2017 and for this purpose a delegation of Pakistani businessmen would visit there soon.

Rafiq Dawood Memon said President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shamim Ahmed Firpo had also assured to send a high profile KCCI delegation to South Africa. He said through its proactive role Pakistan's Commerce Ministry could bring South African Ministers and top officials to Pakistan which would give boost to bilateral economic ties.

He mentioned that the visiting Pakistani businesspersons complained that South African Embassy was giving them visas in ten to fifteen days and that Pakistan Foreign Office should take up the issue with South African government for issuance of the visas at the earliest. APP/ah/rn