Acting Senate President Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari said that Pakistan and Australia should enhance cooperation for increasing trade volume between the two countries.
While talking to Australia High Commissioner Peter Heyward on Thursday, Bokhari appreciated Australia’s generous assistance during flood and earthquake in the past years.
He said that the regular bilateral interactions at the highest level as well as Parliamentary exchanges and people to people contacts between our two countries is essential for imparting ever new impetus for adding greater substance to our relations in diverse fields.
The Acting President said that we are looking forward to upcoming visit (30th August onwards) of Australian parliamentary delegation and hopefully it will give a boost to our inter-Parliamentary relations through generating better understanding via exchange of ideas.
The Acting President said that there exists great potential of cooperation between two countries in various fields.
He told the High Commissioner that Pakistan wants trade concessions in order to grow its trade and economy with EU and Australia as well. Pakistan can export textile goods, mangoes, citrus fruits, rice and other agricultural produce to Australia. He added. The Acting President invited investment of Australian companies in different sectors like energy, agriculture mechanization and technological assistance. Talking about the energy needs of the country the Acting President said that huge scope exists in hydel, wind and solar power generation projects in Pakistan. He lauded Australia’s enhanced cooperation and assistance in the fields of education (AusAID), agriculture and vocational training.
Referring to the commonalities between the two countries the Acting President said that we inherited common heritage and system after independence from British rule, both countries are member of commonwealth, English language is spoken for communication between the people of both countries, sports like cricket and hockey are another important link as they are liked and played in both the countries.
Reciprocating, the Australian High Commissioner thanked the Acting President for inviting the upcoming Australian parliamentary delegation for visiting Pakistan and meet parliamentarians from Pakistan. It will provide an opportunity for exchanging views on issues of mutual interest and learning from each other’s experiences. The enhanced parliamentary linkages guarantee enhanced cooperation, he added. The High Commissioner also extended invitation for Pakistan’s Parliamentary delegation to visit Australia.
Talking about enhancing trade volume between the two countries, he told the Acting President that bilateral trade commission between the two countries held important discussions in Canberra recently to explore new avenues of cooperation in this regard.
He apprised the Acting President that Australia is gradually reducing tariffs on Pakistani goods in order to help Pakistani products to have greater access to Australian market.
He said that Australia is interested to import textile goods and mangoes from Pakistan which will also act as cultural symbol of the country. He told the Acting President that both the countries can resort to more commercial partnerships and ventures in near future in various fields.
