Deputy PM urges Pakistani businessmen to explore business opportunities in Africa

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday urged Pakistani businessmen to take advantage of vast business opportunities in African countries.

He said this while responding to a question at a news conference in Islamabad this evening, while giving a roundup of his recently concluded visits to Saudi Arabia and Gambia, where he attended the World Economic Forum and the 15th OIC summit respectively.

Stressing the need to focus on economic diplomacy, Ishaq Dar said Pakistan can export surgical goods, pharmaceuticals and other products to the African nations and earn foreign exchange. He said a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed with Gambia to tap full potential of bilateral trade. He emphasized the

Responding to another question, the Foreign Minister said Pakistan vociferously raised its voice against hostilities in Gaza, Indian atrocities in Kashmir and the Islamophobia at the recently held OIC summit in Gambia.

He said the Secretary General OIC has appointed a special envoy on Islamophobia to address this issue globally.

Ishaq Dar said the OIC reaffirmed the continued political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people and called upon the United Nations Security Council to take effective measures to implement its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir to enable the Kashmiri people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a UN-supervised plebiscite.

Answering a question, the Foreign Minister said Pakistan wants peace and stability in the region, including Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has always extended all possible support to Afghanistan in difficult times. But, as per reports, recent attack on Chinese nationals in Pakistan was orchestrated from Afghanistan, which is a serious concern for Islamabad.

To another question, Ishaq Dar said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Pakistan is on cards and its dates will be finalized in the upcoming days.