Staff Reporter
Karachi
President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President All Karachi Industrial Alliance (AKIA), Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain has said that effective economic diplomacy is needed for political and economic independence.
In a statement issued here on Monday, Mian Zahid Hussain said that the economic security is imperative for national security while only self-reliant countries are respected in the global community of nations.
He said that economic diplomacy makes the country rich and influential while its absence compels any country to follow dictation in its political, economic and foreign policies.
The veteran business leader noted that government and the private sector must join hands for successful economic diplomacy and the business associations can play a leading role in this regard.
He noted that trade agreements, deals aimed at abolishing double taxation, mega projects, financial services, foreign investment etc. are all linked to economic diplomacy.
The business leader said that trade officials should be posted on merit in foreign mission and their promotion must be linked to the results so that they promote national interests which also include promotion of tourism and introducing new technologies in Pakistan.
