ISLAMABAD, June 6: President Pervez Musharraf on Monday described his three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar as extremely successful, saying it would further consolidate trade and economic ties with the two Gulf countries. “My discussions with the leadership of both the countries were wholesome— we reached far-reaching agreements which will underpin our excellent relations with fruitful interaction in the economic, trade and investment areas,” he told newsmen upon return from the visit.

The president, who was accorded unprecedented welcome both in Abu Dhabi and Doha, said during his meetings with UAE President Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan and Qatar Emir Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, they also exchanged views on international issues including the UN Security Council’s expansion and restructuring and reform of the Organization of Islamic Conference.

Referring to his interaction with business leaders in Abu Dhabi and Doha he said investors in both the countries showed keen interest in joint ventures, investment and trade in Pakistan.

“The UAE has already very good presence in Pakistan in a number of areas and more entrepreneurs are willing to come. Qatari entrepreneurs have also expressed a keen resolve to invest and enter into joint ventures and trade with Pakistan,” he said.

The president said his bilateral discussions also concentrated on coordinated intelligence efforts against terrorism.

In Doha, the president discussed the gas pipeline with Emir of Qatar and said both countries have agreed to look into it.

“They are willing to export gas and we are willing to import it to meet our energy requirements, so we talked about it and will now look into it.”

The President also took up with the Emir the issue of exporting Pakistan’s manpower to Qatar and said his discussion remained very positive.

“I am very positive that more Pakistani workers will go to Qatar, and also the Qatari government has agreed that the Pakistanis changing their sponsorship in the country, will not be sent back to Pakistan in future and given work permit in that country.”

MEETIGN WITH BUSINESSMEN: THE President pledged all-out facilitation to Qatari investors, urging them to avail enormous business potential in Pakistan in view of its rapidly growing economy and its location.

Addressing members of Qatari Business Association, he highlighted Pakistan’s transparent and business-friendly regime on the back of high economic growth and said the government would “welcome investors from friendly countries with open hearts.”

He identified telecom, IT, banking, building, construction and dairy products as the most prospective areas with promises of healthy returns.

“All sectors of the economy are open to you with level playing field, legal protection of investment, 100 per cent holding of equity, no restriction on remittances of profits and a low cost of doing business,” he said

Pakistan, he maintained, occupies a unique geo-strategic location and any trade between landlocked Central Asia, South Asia, the fast-emerging Western parts of China and the Gulf region has to take place through Pakistan.

He said of over 700 foreign companies doing business in Pakistan, the majority are earning handsome profits and no foreign business has been affected by internal developments in the country during the last three decades.

Pakistan, he said, has contained terrorism and will maintain law and order for its continued march on the path of socio-economic development.

“The foreign entrepreneurs investing in Pakistan not only contribute to employment generation and poverty reduction but also to curbing extremism in its long-term perspective,” he said adding that lingering political disputes, illiteracy and poverty are the underlying causes of extremism.

Musharraf also informed the Qatari business leaders about the tremendous opportunities offered by the country’s privatization and deregulation policy.

Earlier, President of the Qatari Business Council Bassam R Massoub and prominent entrepreneur Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al-thani welcomed the president.

The Qatari Association, they said, aims at strengthening close relations between the two brotherly countries through greater investment and business in Pakistan.—APP