Pakistan seeks Malaysian cooperation in reconstruction

Seminar organised by Board of Investment and Malaysian Investment Development Authority to be held on March 31.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakistani government has invited Malaysian construction companies to join it in reconstruction efforts in the wake of devastating floods last year, which caused severe damage to infrastructure, a diplomat said.

“The country is brimming with investment opportunities in sectors such as power, construction and agriculture. This can be gauged from the fact that over 600 foreign companies are earning good profits from their investments in Pakistan,” said Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Masood Khalid.

Talking to the media, he said that over 30 top-ranked companies of Pakistan were expected to attend a seminar on ‘Investment Opportunities in Pakistan’ and interact with Malaysian counterparts to build business linkages and explore investment opportunities in Pakistan.

The seminar, jointly organised by the Board of Investment and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, will be held on March 31.

Masood said that after the signing of a free trade agreement in 2007, bilateral trade between Pakistan and Malaysia has been on an upward trajectory and has touched $2 billion in merely three years.

“Both sides enhanced cooperation in the agriculture, veterinary and halal sectors. Two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and one letter of intent were signed last year and we are also helping Malaysia in the veterinary sector,” he explained.

He added that Pakistan will start exporting beef to Malaysia as well after a Malaysian delegation attends the International Halal Conference on March 1 in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2011.