Pakistan, Poland exploring avenues of trade: envoy

Ambassador reaffirms Warsaw’s support for inclusion of Pakistan in GSP plus scheme

ISLAMABAD:

Trade volume between Pakistan and Poland is more than €500 million and both countries are focusing on exploring more avenues of trade and investments in multiple sectors, said Ambassador of Poland to Pakistan Maciej Pisarski.

In an interview with APP on Saturday, he said that the two nations could enhance two-way trade in areas of information technology, food processing, preservation and agriculture.

He revealed that Poland currently had a trade deficit with Pakistan because locally produced textile, sportswear, food stuff and leather products were in great demand in the European nation.

He noted that Poland’s cosmetics were popular in Pakistan.

According to him, the bilateral agenda concentrated on economic cooperation, political and military dialogue and development of people-to-people relations.

“Although we are celebrating 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between Poland and Pakistan this year but our bond is much older than that and it is strengthening with each passing day,” Pisarski added.  

Citing that Poland valued its historical links with Pakistan and enjoyed multifaceted collaboration, he stressed that the two countries were currently deepening their political, economic and defense cooperation, he added.         

“European Union is the largest destination for Pakistani exports and Poland has supported inclusion of Pakistan in the GSP Plus scheme so that non-reciprocal preferential treatment can be given to exports from Islamabad,” he said.

Detailing further, he said that under GSP Plus, Pakistani products enjoyed privileged access to Europe.

Answering a question about educational cooperation, he called for enhancing partnerships between universities of Poland and Pakistan in the fields of science and technology and higher education to produce potential, talented, and skillful students for better outcomes.

The ambassador said that Polish oil and gas exploration companies had invested millions of dollars in Pakistan during the last 25 years. The gas explored by the Polish companies was being sold to local consumers in Pakistan and it is a significant aspect of Poland’s economic cooperation.          

Commenting on the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, he said it had slowed down exchange of business delegations, however, the volume of trade between Poland and Pakistan has been increasing annually.        

In response to a question regarding Afghanistan, the ambassador lauded Pakistan’s role in the evacuation of the foreigners from the neighbouring nation.

Pakistan played a positive and significant role in the evacuation of foreign nationals and Pakistan International Airlines operated special flights between Kabul and Islamabad.

Commenting on Pakistan’s natural beauty and mountains, he termed Pakistan excellent destination for Polish climbers.

“K-2 is quite popular among Polish mountaineers and it is also a prime destination for them,” he said.

The ambassador promised to work towards people-to-people exchanges, business opportunities, information transfer and cooperation in renewable technologies.

Replying to a query regarding visa and immigration policy, the ambassador elaborated that Poland was a part of the European Union therefore it followed standard set of rules for visas, laid down by the bloc.

“The visa policy has always been complex and tricky because one needs to create a balance between the security aspects and desire of people to travel and explore other countries’ cultures,” he said adding that diplomats tried to maintain the balance.

Commenting on the refugee crisis at Poland and Belarus border, he said that it was an artificially created phenomenon and travel agents had sent thousands of illegal immigrants into Belarus through dishonest ways.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2022.

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