By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: In appreciation for the positive role of overseas Pakistanis, President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday asked the High Commissioner-designate to Australia to work for the facilitation and welfare of the diaspora.
In a meeting held here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president urged Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, the outgoing Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who has been appointed as High Commissioner-designate to Australia, to extend the Pakistani community all possible support and services.
Noting the considerable number of Pakistani students in Australia, he highlighted the need for further enhancement of educational cooperation between the two countries. President Alvi said Pakistan attached utmost importance to its ties with Australia and wanted to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.
He emphasized the need to develop collaboration with Australia in the areas of education and vocational training that would help towards the socio-economic development of Pakistan.
Discussing various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries, the President stressed that Pakistan and Australia had huge potential to increase trade and economic cooperation. He added that Pakistan wanted to enhance bilateral cooperation with Australia in diverse fields, particularly education, agriculture, trade, water management, mining and Information Technology (IT).
He also underlined the need to attract Australian investment to Pakistan, adding that the country had adopted business-friendly policies and had shifted its focus from geo-politics to geo-economics. The president congratulated Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri on his appointment as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Australia and asked him to play his role in further strengthening and diversifying the Pakistan-Australia cooperation.
He also appreciated Chaudhri for the excellent discharge of his duties as Spokesperson of MoFA and expressed the hope that he would perform his duties as High Commissioner of Pakistan to Australia with the same spirit of dedication.
