Kiev ready to transfer technology

Envoy calls for using military cooperation for enhancing bilateral trade

LAHORE:

Military cooperation between Pakistan and Ukraine should be exploited to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries, remarked Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ukraine Major General (Retd) Noel Israel Khokhar.

Speaking at an event at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he stated that connections and recommendations were being made for appointing a commercial attaché in the Pakistan embassy in Kiev.

“Pakistani exporters are well versed with the Middle East, Western Europe and Africa markets while their information about Eastern Europe is not up to the mark,” he pointed out.

Khokhar added that geographically Ukraine was the biggest country in Eastern Europe, which was equivalent to Russia in technological, nuclear and defence advancements. The ambassador told the business community that after the breakup of USSR, Ukraine got independence and joined the European Union instead of sticking to the Russian bloc.

“We have acquired basic technology from Ukraine and built the latest Al-Khalid Tank while Kiev is ready to transfer more technology.”

He revealed that more than 10 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) had been proposed in different fields for bilateral trade, adding that although Ukraine had signed those MoUs, they were lying dormant due to non-ratification by Pakistan. “I shall try to expedite work on these MoUs so that bilateral trade can be promoted,” he said and assured the business community that he would provide details of reliable Ukrainian companies and businessmen so that Pakistani exporters could start business with them without any fear of fraud.

Khokhar highlighted that the FCCI, in collaboration with the Sialkot and Gujranwala Chambers, could organise a single-country exhibition in Kiev. He stressed that Pakistan could get access to Europe through Ukraine. “Similarly, it can start indirect exports to the surrounding seven other states.”

Responding to a question, the ambassador said the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, had inked an MoU with Ukraine but no one was aware of its fate. “I shall restart work on it to make the MoU functional for betterment of the country,” he added.

He stressed that Ukraine was the most suitable and cheap country for education about technology and medicine but despite that only 300 to 400 Pakistani students were studying there whereas the number of Indian students was around 8,000. Citing the reason behind the contrasting figures, he said the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan had not yet recognised degrees of Ukraine. “It is a matter of serious concern that an MoU in this respect has been pending for the past eight years,” he lamented.

Shedding light on export of poultry products to Ukraine, Khokhar said he was unaware of the potential of that sector. However, he “will now focus on the export of chicken and eggs.” The envoy added that he would request the Ukrainian ambassador in Pakistan to visit the FCCI in a bid to bridge the gap between business communities of the two countries.

Regarding steel industry, the ambassador pointed out that many units had been closed in Ukraine after the USSR breakup and assured the business community that he would try to get these units rehabilitated in collaboration with Pakistani companies. FCCI President Engineer Hafiz Ihtasham Javed told the ambassador that Faisalabad was contributing 20% to the overall economy of Pakistan.

He emphasised that textile was an iconic industry of Faisalabad as the city had state-of-the-art textile units, which were manufacturing world-class brands for the entire world. “Poultry and other sectors are also developing phenomenally and are ready to enter the export sector in a big way,” he added.

Javed said Faisalabad had one of the biggest Special Economic Zones while Asia’s biggest sock manufacturing unit was also situated in the city. “Businessmen can invest in Pakistan and other countries provided they feel safe and secure,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2020.

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