Qureshi meets Egyptian President Al Sisi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Egypt on Wednesday said they looked forward to further enhancing and diversifying bilateral ties and their dynamic multilateral cooperation.

Pakistan would always look to be a partner in peace and progress with Egypt believes that the two countries could share their experience in countering terrorism and extremism. These views were expressed when Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called on the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in Cairo.

While appreciating the stability and progress achieved by Egypt under the leadership of President Sisi, the foreign minister stressed that the vision of “Naya Pakistan” was predicated on economic connectivity and ensuring peace within and beyond its borders.

According to the Foreign Office, President Sisi welcomed the foreign minister and reciprocated the warm feelings of the Pakistani leadership. He also accepted an invitation to visit Pakistan at the earliest opportunity.

Qureshi said his visit indicated Pakistan’s keenness to reinvigorate traditional bilateral relationship rooted in shared faith, culture and values. The minister briefed the Egyptian president on the situation in Pakistan’s neighbourhood, in particular Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate the Afghan peace process, the ongoing human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K), and continued denial of the Kashmiri people’s legitimate right to self-determination.

Earlier, Qureshi met leading Egyptian businessmen and investors and called for the revival of Pakistan-Egypt Joint Business Council (JBC). The delegation comprised key Egyptian investors, including El Sewedy Electric, which is keen on investing in Pakistan’s power distribution sector; and the tech-startup Swvl. Other businessmen included the Secretary General of Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, Chairman of Foreign Trade Association and Chairman Expo link.

President and CEO of El-Sewedy Electric Ahmed El Sewedy also called on Foreign Minister Qureshi separately. In the meeting, he briefed the foreign minister about the company’s investment strategy and aspirations in Pakistan. He said a team of experts would soon visit Pakistan to identify priority areas for investment.

The foreign minister outlined the government’s focus on economic diplomacy and the steps taken to create a favourable business and investment climate in the country. He underscored the opportunities existing in diverse areas in Pakistan for Egyptian businessmen and investors, in particular in the energy, construction, pharmaceutical, tourism, information technology and logistics sectors.

He stressed that leading multinational companies were consistently showing higher profits in Pakistan, as compared to their global average.