PM desires to further enhance Pak-EU multi-faceted ties

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday highlighted the strong economic, trade and investment ties between Pakistan and the European Union and expressed the desire for further strengthening of this multi-faceted relationship in diverse sectors including climate change and legal migration.

The prime minister also underscored the importance of regular high-level exchanges between the two sides to deepen bilateral collaboration and enhance mutual cooperation on issues of peace and stability in the regional and international context. The prime minister was talking to Thomas Seiler, Charge d' Affairs, Delegation of the EU to Pakistan, who called on him, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

The charge d' affairs congratulated the prime minister on assuming the office and conveyed best wishes of the European Council president and the president of the EU Commission. The prime minister thanked the charge d' Affairs for his felicitations and underlined the importance Pakistan attaches to its relations with EU and its member states.

Thomas Seiler affirmed EU's commitment to further deepening of bilateral cooperation with Pakistan.

Pakistan and EU are celebrating the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations this year. Events marking this milestone are envisaged to be held both in Islamabad and Brussels. The United States remained the top export destinations of Pakistani products during the first nine months of financial year (2021-22), followed by China and United Kingdom (UK).

Total exports to the USA during July-March (2021-22) were recorded at US $5000.275 million against the exports of $3564.575 million during July- March (2020-21), showing growth of 40.27 percent, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data. This was followed by China, wherein Pakistan exported goods worth $2126.778 million against the exports of $1405.890 million during last year, showing an increase of 51.27 percent.

UK was the at third top export destination, where Pakistan exported products worth $1671.218 million during the months under review against the exports of $1508.325 million, showing growth of 10.79 percent, SBP data revealed. Among other countries, Pakistani exports to UAE stood at $1360.317 million against $1086.763 million during last year, showing an increase of 25.17 percent while the exports to Germany were recorded at $1297.94 million against $1134.728 million last year, the data showed.

During July- March (2021-22), the exports to Holland were recorded $1067.644 million against $830.646 million whereas the exports to Italy stood at $758.795 million against $559.664 million.

Pakistan's exports to Spain were recorded at $827.686 million against the exports of $595.201 million while the exports to Afghanistan were recorded $369.382 million against $ 746.347 million during last year.

The exports to Bangladesh stood at $648.936 million against $438.626 million, showing growth of 47.94 percent, according to SBP data.

Similarly, the exports to France during the months under review were recorded at $379.661 million against $330.983 million while the exports to Belgium stood at $524.059 million against $417.837 million.

Pakistan's exports to Saudi Arabia were recorded at $303.194 million during the current year as compared to $365.513 million last year whereas the exports to Canada stood at $294.467 million against $228.539, to Malaysia $316.572 million against $15.572 million.

Overall Pakistan's exports to other countries witnessed an increase of 26.64 percent in nine months, from US $18.713 billion to US $ 23.699 billion. -APP