20000316

British HC

ready to help

promote trade

with Pakistan

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD: Miss Sheila Jane Bramley, Second Secretary (Commercial) British High Commission, Islamabad on Tuesday said British High Commission is ready to play its role for the promotion of bilateral trade between Pakistan and UK.

Addressing the members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, she said that apart from big investment, small groups can also play their role in promoting bilateral ties and asked the Pakistani businessmen to indicate their area of interest with market oriented strategies to attract foreign collaboration.

About visa problems, she said, although she has nothing to do with this issue, genuine travellers intending to visit UK for business purposes would face no problem in getting visa.

However, she asked the businessmen to prepare their advance travelling programme to get in-time visa as it is difficult for the HC to process daily 400-500 visa applications. "Your visa applications should also be fully supported with required information and documents for immediate processing of the case," she added.

She said vast scope exists for joint ventures between Pakistan and UK in a number of sectors including chemical, food and textile.

About Hubco, she said, Pakistan's new administration is trying to resolve this issue on top priority basis. However, she said that sovereign agreements should be respected by the successive governments.

Replying to a question about holding exhibition of British products or catalogue in Faisalabad, she appreciated the proposal and assured that she will look into this idea for the promotion of bilateral trade between the two countries.

Earlier, Sheikh Khalid Habib, President FCCI in his address of welcome said that UK has been one of the pioneer foreign investor in Pakistan in companies like ICI, Unilever and Glaxo which are around here for the last 50 years.