Khurram Dastgir leaves for Europe
- November 22, 2013, 2:10 pm
- National News
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ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (INP): Minister of State for Commerce, Textile and Privatization, Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan on Wednesday left for Europe to begin a fresh round of economic diplomacy.
The aim of the visit is to ensure a favourable majority in the European Union (EU) Parliament in anticipation of a plenary vote in mid-December, 2013 on grant of GSP Plus trade preference to Pakistan for three years, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce.
The visit to Eastern Europe follows a successful round of economic diplomacy in October at the European Parliament in Strasbourg as well as in Paris, Madrid, Room and London.
It said that the minister led the joint effort between Commerce and Foreign ministries, which resulted in a positive, pro-Pakistan vote in the International Trade Committee (INTA) of the EU Parliament earlier this month, the statement added.
The PML-N government has already achieved the two milestones of successful votes in the EU Council in October and INTA in November.
“Although the immediate objective is to ensure a smooth vote for grant of GSP Plus to Pakistan by plenary EU Parliament, this visit will also include serious exploration of increasing mutual trade between Pakistan and Eastern European countriesâ€, said Khuram Dastgir Khan.
The statement said that grant of GSP Plus by the EU is likely to add US$ 700 million to US$ 1 billion to Pakistan’s export, one million new jobs are expected to be created, boosting textile sector and delivering on PML-N’s election promises to improve the national economy.
The minister will visit Rumania, Czech Republic and Poland in this round.
