Zubair Qureshi
President Dr Arif Alvi has called for further enhancing the quantum of bilateral trade and investment between Pakistan and the Republic of Korea, adding that new avenues for cooperation among the governments and private sectors of the two countries should be explored.
He said that Pakistan was desirous of expanding bilateral cooperation with Korea in various fields, such as agriculture, ICT, Human Resource Development, economy, science, culture and education.
The president made these remarks while talking to the members of the Korea-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group in the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, led by its Head, Mr Lee Hack Young, which called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Wednesday.
Members of the Korean Parliament, Mr Lee Sangheon, Mr Kim Byungjoo, Mr An Byunggil, and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Mr Suh Sangpyo, attended the meeting.
Talking to the parliamentary delegation, the president highlighted that Pakistan possessed an enormous youth bulge which, if properly educated and trained, could provide much-needed qualified and cost-competitive Human Resources to Korean companies that had a presence in Pakistan and help meet the growing needs of the Korean economy and industry.
The president said that Korea could help Pakistan bring vast virgin lands in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under cultivation and substantially increase the yield of agricultural products of the fertile plains of Sindh and Punjab through joint research and development, ICT-based modern agriculture technologies, better disease-resistant seeds, vertical farming and Artificial Intelligence based irrigation system.
He also emphasized finding out the possibilities of the greater role of Korean companies in the CPEC projects and their investment in the Special Economic Zones. The president assured the delegation that Korean investment in Pakistan was safe and that Pakistan was committed to continuing the investment and trade policies irrespective of change in the government to provide a safe and secure environment to foreign investors.
The Korean delegation thanked President Alvi for hospitality. The Korean government and the people , they said valued their relations with Pakistan and sought enhanced relations in bilateral trade, cooperation in IT sector and other areas.
