Khurram Dastgir Due In Brussels Sunday On Four-day Visit

Sumaira FH Published January 21, 2017 | 07:15 PM

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jan, 2017 ) : Federal Minister for Commerce Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan is scheduled to arrive in Brussels Sunday (January 22) on a four-day official visit where he will chair a conference of trade officers based in Pakistan's missions in Europe.

The minister will hold meetings with senior officials of European Commission and members of European Parliament, besides meeting with Pakistani community in Belgium, said a message received here from Brussels on Saturday.

He will also address a briefing seminar on "Pakistan's Changing Reality: An Opportunity for Peace and Development" to be organized by a think tank, the European Institute of Asian Studies. During his meetings, the minister will apprise the officials concerned of the EU Commission and the European parliamentarians of the growing economic potential of Pakistan in the wake of improved law and order situation and institutional reforms carried out by the Government of Pakistan.

Khurram Dastgir will also share improvements achieved in the production sector in Pakistan.

The country has been ranked 52nd, ahead from India (60th), among 79 developing economies in the Inclusive Development Index (IDI), according to a report of World Economic Forum's `Inclusive Growth and Development Report 2017', released in Davos on January 16.

Pakistan's trade with the European Union has acquired significance after the grant of GSP+ status to Pakistan. According to the figures provided by Eurostat, the total volume of trade for 2015 was 10,499 million Euros as compared to 9,603 in 2014 and 8,377in 2013.

In 2015 exports from Pakistan constituted 6,071 million Euros and imports from the EU stood at 4,428. In 2016 for the period from January to August, Pakistan's exports to the EU were 4,207 million Euros as compared to 4,088 in the corresponding period in 2015 showing an increase by 3%.

Home textiles, clothing, footwear, cotton, surgical instruments, leather and sports goods comprise major portion of Pakistan's major exports to the EU.