‘US willing to facilitate Pakistani businessmen’

[LRE]

By Razi Syed

KARACHI: The US government is ready to provide all possible cooperation to the Pakistani businessmen to get their proper share in US market.

Principal officer, Consulate of United States of America in Lahore, Bryan D Hunt said this while talking to a delegation of Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) Tuesday.

However, he said that FTA is not possible because of the textile sector as providing free access to Pakistan’s textile sector would result in job losses in USA. He said Pakistani entrepreneur should come up with more creative idea like China to get more business in USA. There is already preferential treatment for Pakistan as compared to India and promised that he will suggest US government for more facilities and projects in the field of education and health.

Hunt said US government was already working in some underdeveloped and remote area of Punjab in the field of health care and to reduce child mortality.

He said opening of Visa Counter at Lahore was already under consideration and hoped it would be operational in near future. He said that people of both the countries should come closer to each other to have better understanding of both the nations. Chairman PTA, Agha Saiddain informed the US official due to frequent terrorist attacks in various cities of Pakistan and no travel advice of US government the customers were reluctant to visit Pakistan.

He said in these circumstances there was a dire need to facilitate Pakistani businessmen to have market access in all sectors specially leather, leather garments and leather footwear. Per capita shoe consumption of USA is 8 shoes per annum which is highest in the world and Europe which is number two after USA consumes four pairs per annum. China is the main beneficiary of US market and Pakistani’s export of shoe, garments, upholstery and leather is negligible as compared to China, India, Italy and Turkey. He said idea of ROZ’s in FATA and boarder area should only be expanded to interior Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and NWFP.

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