FAISALABAD: Spanish Ambassador Manuel Duran has said Pakistan and Spain must exploit their potential to give bilateral trade a quantum jump.
Addressing a function at Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here on Monday, he said that undisputedly Faisalabad was the industrial, commercial and business hub of Pakistan. Being a textile capital, many units are also using Spanish textile machinery.
Therefore, Spanish businessmen are visiting Pakistan despite travel advisory and another delegation from Spain will visit Pakistan during the next week.
Regarding dairy, he said that Spain has expertise in food processing. However, interested businessmen must point out their specific field so that their proposals and suggestions are processed on scientific lines.
Regarding fashion industry, he suggested that Pakistani exporters should contact their embassy in Madrid. About visa, he said that as Spanish visa is equally acceptable in all SCHENGEN countries, hence they have to follow the rules very cautiously.
Responding to a question raised by Secretary General FCCI Abid Masood, Miguel Pena, Commercial Attache of Spain Embassy, said that he was ready for exchange of latest economic data of Spain with the FCCI.
Earlier, in his welcome address, President FCCI Rana Sikandar Azam introduced Faisalabad and FCCI. He said that though textile was its iconic identification, yet other sectors including chemicals, rice, sugar, ghee, engineering, poultry and agriculture are also contributing their humble role in its overall uplift.
He said that Faisalabad has unique privilege to house Asia’s biggest socks manufacturing units, and state-of-the-art chemicals’ units.
He said that Faisalabad alone is contributing 50 percent share in total textile exports of Pakistan. He said that trade between Pakistan and Spain has witnessed a phenomenal increase after the facility of GSP Plus.
He further said that a trade delegation of Faisalabad had already participated in ‘ITMA’ Fair while many Pakistani exporters are manufacturing leading Spanish brands.
Former President FCCI Mian Javed Iqbal stressed the need for direct contacts between the business communities of the two countries.
