KARACHI: Australian High Commissioner Margaret Adamson has offered Pakistan to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from her county at a time when it has designed a strategy to grow its economy by addressing the energy crisis amid importing cheaper fuels from countries, including Qatar. "We also have plenty of clean coal and LNG to sell," she said, while addressing at the Pakistan Australia Business Forum' annual dinner on Friday. Pakistan had already been importing coal, iron ore from Australia and it has been exporting there textile leather and surgical goods. The high commissioner said there are opportunities for Pakistani farmers and businessmen to use Australian technology, equipment and services to improve productivity of the farms. "The Australian government has worked extensively in the public and private sector in Pakistan on dairy development," she said. Mining and energy is another area where Pakistan can benefit from Australian expertise. "We have several world class companies who fit into various components of the value chain of the mining and energy sectors. This includes feasibility studies, mineral estimation, mine mapping, sample testing, equipment for overburden removal and mining, and simulation techniques for training drivers working on the mines," she said. Australia have world-class mining companies and also companies which construct infrastructure: from mine trains, to hydro dams and power stations to roads. "We have expertise in solar and wind energy...," she said. Adamson said Australia is contributing 10 million Australian dollars to a World Bank project to build the capacity of officials in the Ministry of Commerce to develop a WTO-compliant policy framework to support Pakistan to catch the wave of regional economic integration. A large number of young Pakistanis are selecting Australia for higher education, with the number currently around 15,000, she said, adding that they are greatly adding to the numbers who have studied in Australia since the Australian government introduced the Colombo Plan in the 1050's and its successor the Australia Awards. Australia’s relations with Pakistan are long standing, and we share a common heritage through our membership of the Commonwealth. People from Pakistan have made their home in Australia since the 19th century when cameleers from Balochistan came to help build our foundational infrastructure of railways across Australia’s desert sands. "Today we have a vibrant community of Pakistan origin citizens represented in all sectors of our society, from academia, to business and the political sphere," she said. Pervez Haroon Madraswala, chairman of Pakistan Australia Business Forum, said Pakistan is a land of many opportunities with a distinct blend of almost all economic sectors. There are immense opportunities to expand trade activities between two countries, "Pakistan can always benefit from latest technology from Australia in electronics, livestock, dairy, engineering, hospitality, wool processing, agriculture, confectionary etc," he said.
