UAE to open new visa office in Karachi

KARACHI: The UAE government will open a new office in Karachi in next two months to attend all kind of visas including renewal of residence and work permits to facilitate the Pakistanis going to UAE. This was announced by the acting Consul General of UAE in Karachi Bakheet Ateeq Al Romaithi in the meeting of Pakistan-UAE Business Council FPCCI, chaired by Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Chairman of the Business Council at the Federation House.

Dr. Baig discussed proposals for 12th Session of Pak UAE Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), particularly early signing of the Pak-GCC Free Trade Agreement and the resolution of PTCL, Etisalat outstanding dues. Dr. Baig said the bilateral trade between the Pakistan and UAE is US$8.3 billion which includes Pakistan exports to UAE worth US$ 869 million, while the volume of import from UAE is US$7.5 billion leading to a huge trade deficit. He recommended allowing export of rice and sugar from Pakistan for cooperative stores in the UAE. He appreciated the consul general’s initiative to cultivate animal feed Alpha-Alpha in Pakistan and successfully exporting to UAE for the last many years. The audience were informed that an Abu Dhabi infrastructure fund is interested to invest in clean and renewable energy projects in Pakistan.

Dr. Baig also discussed participation in the Expo 2020, a mega event to take place from October 20, 2020 to April 2021 in UAE for promotion of tourism and assured visit of FPCCI businessmen delegation to UAE coinciding with the inaugural meeting of Pak UAE JMC in Abu Dhabi. He requested the consul general to provide names of 10 members from UAE for Pak-UAE JMC to finalize the date of the meeting.

The meeting was attended by Mazhar A. Nasir SVP FPCCI, Usama Qureshi, Khalid Masood, Zubair Haider Sheikh, Anwar Qureshi, Abdul Haseeb Qureshi and other members of the council.