News
Pak paid heaviest price in terror war; needs urgent int’l support: Zardari
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday urged the international business community take advantage of the investment friendly policies of Pakistan.Talking to delegation of Italian Parliamentarians headed by Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies Stefano Stefani at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday, he said Pakistan offers Special Economic Zones, tax holidays, low cost labour force and a very competitive environment with easy access to a market of nearly two billion people. The President said parliamentary exchanges were helpful towards convergence of views of the two governments on international issues of mutual concern besides further cementing the existing bilateral relations.
The President recalled his visit to Italy and said that during his visit to Rome last year he had identified various areas in which the Italian investors and the business community were welcomed to invest to the mutual benefit of the two countries and their peoples.
The President said that the geo strategic location of Pakistan gives access to a huge market of nearly two billion people that was unique opportunity in the business world.
He thanked the Italian Government for its active partnership in Friends of Democratic Pakistan and its continued engagement and support to make this process result-oriented and successful.
He said that Pakistan looks forward to the active participation by Italy in forthcoming FoDP’s third Ministerial meeting in Brussels being hosted by European Union.
Pakistan expects that the good-will expressed in the FoDP meeting will translate into concrete steps, he said.Lauding Italy’s role in Pakistan’s economic development, the President appreciated Italian support to Pakistan on the platforms of FoDP and EU on the crucial issue of enhanced market access through the GSP plus scheme and the Free Trade Agreement.
He said it was important that the European world takes into account the impact of militancy on Pakistan and its people while considering access to market to it.
The delegation consisted of Vicenzo Prati, Italian Ambassador, Ms. Margherita Boniver, former MOS for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Leoluca Orlando, Chairman of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on Health Services, Francesco Tempestini, Leader of the Opposition within the Foreign Affairs Committee, and other senior officials.
From Pakistani side M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Ms. Mehreen Anwar Raja, MOS for Law & Justice, Senator Syeda Sughra Imam, Malik Asif Hayat, Secretary to the President and Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar were present besides other senior officials.
Matters relating to further strengthening cooperation with Italy in the areas of agriculture, edible oil, leather, export of semiskilled and unskilled manpower and technology for marble quarrying and dressing also came under discussion during the meeting.
The President said that Pakistan looked forward to increased Pak-Italy cooperation in these areas.
Talking about the war against militancy, the President said that Pakistan had paid the heaviest price both in terms of human and material losses and it needed urgent support of the international community especially its friends in mitigating the sufferings and losses faced by it.
He appreciated the Italian assistance for the displaced people and swapping of the official debt. He said that Pakistan looks forward to Italy’s continued assistance to share the burden of reconstruction of areas affected by terrorism, extremism and militancy.
Discussing various areas of mutual cooperation, the President said that Pakistan has befitted from the participation of Italian archeological experts in various areas and cooperation in cultural, educational and scientific contacts should be accorded priority.
The delegation thanked the President and assured that they would continue to play their role in further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and pleading Pakistan’s case on every platform so that the attention of the international community is drawn towards this important country and its people.
Courtesy www.Geo.tv