Australia to encourage its companies to invest in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (APP): Prime Minister of Australia John Howard has said he would encourage Australian companies to invest in Pakistan and bring their expertise in areas of engineering, mining and agriculture.
“The two countries have to build a future and the future is very, very much in partnership in economic growth, development and investment,” he said here at a reception Tuesday night.
The Australian Prime Minister who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan also unveiled a plaque establishing offices of the Perth-based Australian engineering and construction company Clough Engineering in Islamabad and Karachi.
He said the Australian companies bring great expertise in many areas including engineering, mining and agriculture - three areas which were vital to the future growth and the future development opportunities of Pakistan.
About his talks with the President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz he renewed the commitment of Australia to building a stronger and closer relationship with Pakistan.
“We follow the fortunes of this country, placed as it is in the forefront of the war against terrorism with great interest, great sympathy, great understanding and above all great respect for the extraordinary courage that has been displayed.”
Howard appreciating the strong economic policies being pursued by the government said he was “greatly impressed” with the strong commitment of its leaders to country’s economic growth and development.
“This is not a time for nations to sit on the fence when it comes to economic liberalisation and the embrace of globalisation,” he said.
He said countries that fail in attracting foreign investment would unfortunately push their citizens to even lower standards of living in the future.
However those countries which attract foreign investment, and believe that globalisation was really the only option available, can improve and increase the standards of living of its people.
Howard said “that is why it is critical for the future of our two countries together that we focus very heavily on encouraging trade and investment.”
The Australian Prime Minister who was on his first visit to the country said, the commercial nature of relationship between the two countries was critical to their future ties.
Pointing at the commonalities between Australia and Pakistan Howard said they have a lot of history, lot of culture, and the most common of all - sports.
He however pointed that there was a vast scope of growth in relations between the two countries and pointed that their future was in developing their economic and commercial linkages.
He congratulated Clough Engineering not only for its contribution to the Australian economy but also to the economies of various provinces of Pakistan in which it will be active.
The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Clough Engineering David Singleton said the company that has been operating in Pakistan since 1992 has now decided to have a permanent base in Pakistan.
He said the company which has designed and built many multi-million dollar gas process facilities for the Oil and Gas Development Corporation and for the Sawan Gas Field Development of OMV, would also bring with it modern technology, besides providing jobs to Pakistani experts.
He said the Clough Engineering was also working for BP Pakistan and Pakistan Petroleum Limited. David Singleton said there was significant potential in Pakistan’s oil, gas and minerals processing markets and his company would develop high level engineering capabilities.
He said company, like its offices, in Indonesia would employ local experts, who can be sent to other countries.
Pakistan Minister of State for Petroleum Naseer Khan Mengal Wednesday inaugurated the local Islamabad office of the Clough Engineering and assured government’s full support in its professional matters.
