Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has said that the newly-appointed Consul General of Germany in Karachi, H. E. Mr. Thomas Eberhard Schultze has informed the business, industry, and trade community from the apex platform of FPCCI that business visas will be given priority in visa issuance to Pakistani citizens, as economic relations top the agenda.
Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh emphasized that Pakistan produces the world’s finest textiles and related products, and Germany should welcome Pakistani textile exporters through trade fairs and exhibitions, thereby facilitating greater market access for them.
It is pertinent to note that a senior German diplomat visited the FPCCI Head Office, located at Federation House, Karachi, to attend a high-profile, interactive, and consultative session with the business community.
H. E. Mr. Thomas Eberhard Schultze, German Consul General in Karachi, stated that Pakistan is an important market for German companies, as it has a large middle class with reasonable purchasing power. German companies have a long-established presence in the region, dating back over 100 years. He also expressed his optimism that the number of Pakistani visa applicants has increased a lot in recent years.
Ambassador Schultze continued that collective efforts are required to increase the numbers vis-à-vis bilateral trade, investments, JVs, industrial collaborations, and other areas of economic relations. He also shed light on Pakistan’s geoeconomic position at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Mr. Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, SVP of FPCCI, invited the business community and chambers from Germany to be partners in the growth and development of Pakistan. He outlined the principal objective of FPCCI’s Vision 2030 as achieving $100 billion in annual exports for the country. He identified the top areas of B2B cooperation as startups, research & development, women’s empowerment, vocational training, and facilitating business tourism.
Mr. Saquib Fayyaz Magoon expressed his pleasure that the German Consulate has appointed a prominent woman member of the FPCCI, Ms. Sahibzadi Mahin Khan, as their focal person for trade and investment in the Sindh and Balochistan regions.
Mr. Hanif Gohar, former SVP of FPCCI and currently the Chairman of FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on Diplomatic Affairs, requested that the German consulate issue long-term visas to the business community after conducting due diligence on their papers, as this can result in enhanced collaborative partnerships between the private sectors of the two countries. Additionally, he proposed that Pakistan has a large, young, and skilled pool of human resources that can be employed across various industries, sectors, and regions in Germany.
Ms. Sahibzadi Mahin Khan, Convener of FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Investment, acknowledged that the German Consulate has always been supportive of initiatives for women’s empowerment in the country.
