19 April 2007
Highlighting opportunities in the rapidly expanding telecom sector, Saifullah noted that Pakistan presently has over six major international mobile telephone operators, including Mobilink, one of the largest mobile operators in Pakistan with more than 50 million customers. He invited Oman to take advantage of the liberalised telecom market, which is expected to attract new international mobile operators.
The team also visited Pakistan Stone Development Company (PSDC), where they were received by Tariq Khan, Chief Operating Officer. Khan gave a detailed presentation about the company, its achievements and future plans. The Oman side urged PSDC to consider establishing warehousing, processing and furnishing facilities in Oman, given the potential for exports to the United States under the recent FTA deal, as well as to the GCC region under the customs union regime.
The visitors also discussed the possibility of sending Omanis to trade in Pakistan's marble sector. For its part, PSDC proposed the establishment of a 'Joint Forum for the Marble Sector' to facilitate joint production, training, export and processing of marble and other industrial stones available in the two countries.
The Pak -- Oman Joint Investment Company expressed its willingness to carry out a pre-feasibility study for joint ventures in the stone development sector. Before leaving for Karachi, the Omani delegation held a meeting with Muhammad Nasir Khan, Chairman of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The two sides exchanged views on expanding co-operation between the two private sectors, and the Chambers' role in stimulating this growth.
The Omani delegation also conferred with Ali Ahmed, CEO of AliTek, an IT based company; Azfar Kamal, Chairman, Standing Committee for distribution of consumer products; Muhammad Tayyab, CEO of Victory Pipe Industry; and Munawar Iqbal, CEO and President of Munir Brothers Company, another leading IT based company of Pakistan.
In Karachi, the Omani delegation attended a dinner hosted by Zafar Iqbal, Managing Director of the Pak -- Oman Joint Investment Company. Leading Pakistani businessmen and top officials of the Pak -- Oman Microfinance Bank and Pak -- Oman Asset Management Company, also attended. Today, the delegation will meet with Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, Governor of Sindh, and with officials of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Acting Governor, State Bank of Pakistan and Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Some matchmaking meetings will also be held on the sidelines of the visit.
MUSCAT -- On the third day of their visit to Pakistani, the Omani trade delegation led by Eng Salim bin Said al Ghattami, Chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), arrived in Karachi yesterday after completing the Islamabad segment While in Islamabad, the Omani team met with Javed Saifullah, Chairman of the Saifullah, one of the largest business groups in Pakistan with multiple interests and stakes in diverse business sectors. The two sides discussed opportunities for joint co-operation and investment, particularly in the fields of oil and gas exploration, power projects, telecommunication and IT sectors.
Highlighting opportunities in the rapidly expanding telecom sector, Saifullah noted that Pakistan presently has over six major international mobile telephone operators, including Mobilink, one of the largest mobile operators in Pakistan with more than 50 million customers. He invited Oman to take advantage of the liberalised telecom market, which is expected to attract new international mobile operators.
The team also visited Pakistan Stone Development Company (PSDC), where they were received by Tariq Khan, Chief Operating Officer. Khan gave a detailed presentation about the company, its achievements and future plans. The Oman side urged PSDC to consider establishing warehousing, processing and furnishing facilities in Oman, given the potential for exports to the United States under the recent FTA deal, as well as to the GCC region under the customs union regime.
The visitors also discussed the possibility of sending Omanis to trade in Pakistan's marble sector. For its part, PSDC proposed the establishment of a 'Joint Forum for the Marble Sector' to facilitate joint production, training, export and processing of marble and other industrial stones available in the two countries.
The Pak -- Oman Joint Investment Company expressed its willingness to carry out a pre-feasibility study for joint ventures in the stone development sector. Before leaving for Karachi, the Omani delegation held a meeting with Muhammad Nasir Khan, Chairman of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The two sides exchanged views on expanding co-operation between the two private sectors, and the Chambers' role in stimulating this growth.
The Omani delegation also conferred with Ali Ahmed, CEO of AliTek, an IT based company; Azfar Kamal, Chairman, Standing Committee for distribution of consumer products; Muhammad Tayyab, CEO of Victory Pipe Industry; and Munawar Iqbal, CEO and President of Munir Brothers Company, another leading IT based company of Pakistan.
In Karachi, the Omani delegation attended a dinner hosted by Zafar Iqbal, Managing Director of the Pak -- Oman Joint Investment Company. Leading Pakistani businessmen and top officials of the Pak -- Oman Microfinance Bank and Pak -- Oman Asset Management Company, also attended. Today, the delegation will meet with Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, Governor of Sindh, and with officials of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Acting Governor, State Bank of Pakistan and Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Some matchmaking meetings will also be held on the sidelines of the visit.
By Staff Reporter
© Oman Daily Observer 2007
