Japanese delegation declares Pakistan ‘fit for business’

Visitors meet business community, government and trade officials.


Our Correspondent October 08, 2012

KARACHI: The first Japanese business delegation to visit Pakistan in over a decade made positive and encouraging remarks about the country, after spending two days in Karachi on the first leg of their visit to Pakistan.

The 23-member delegation comprises corporate-level executives and top management of Japanese companies from several different sectors, many of whom are first time visitors to Pakistan.

“I have been surprised to know that the business promotion policy is quite welcoming for the investors in Pakistan.”

“There is this perception among Japanese people that Pakistan is a dangerous and high-risk country and yet I think that this situation can be purposeful for business operations. I have good expectation from the business sector of the country,” said Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) Executive Vice President Daisuke Hiratsuka.

“People here are very friendly and smart. Their working style is comprehensive and systematic. I think that Pakistan is very capable of business investments and it is a potential business hub for foreign investors,” he added.

The delegation’s visit was arranged by Jetro, which is a non-profit official trade and investment promotion agency working under the aegis of the Government of Japan. Jetro has been operating in Pakistan for more than five decades.

During its stay in Karachi, the delegation first visited Expo Pakistan 2012 on Sunday, where they had a large Japanese pavilion. At the event, they also met with senior executives of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and other government officials.

Later, the delegation held networking sessions with local business leaders and office-bearers and members of different business associations.

Deriving valuable insights from their interactions, the delegation members were of the view that the potential for expansion of trade between Pakistan and Japan was substantial.

On the second day of their stay in Karachi, the Japanese delegation visited the Indus Motor Company’s Toyota plant and the Port Qasim Authority to get an insight into the port operations, before driving through the Bin Qasim Industrial Park, a project of the National Industrial Parks, and going to the Jinnah Terminal to catch a flight for Islamabad.

In Islamabad, the delegation will be meeting with the president of Pakistan and senior government officials.

They will also meet businessmen in Lahore and Sialkot, the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade before departing for Japan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2012.

 

COMMENTS (5)

Knotty | 11 years ago | Reply

Someone is jealous of Pakistan. . This shows how important Pakistan is, even with all the problems we are facing some countries cannot digest a little compliment about Pakistan. Says a lot about their own progress (they have so much time to look for our faults)!!

curious | 11 years ago | Reply

@Jibran, true everyone particularly in first world is looking for places where they can set up factories and pay workers slave wages like 1c/hr. They could actually do a joint venture with the feudal lords of Pakistan provided the politicians and army people give their blessings with strings attached.

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