Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry has said the Pakistani missions in Latin America and the African continent are facing a shortage of staff and fewer missions as well and the Foreign Office required more funds for opening new missions there.

He was briefing the Senate panel on Foreign Affairs, which was held under the chair of Nuzhat Sadiq at the premises of Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS).

The committee was briefed by the Foreign Office, the ministry of commerce and the Board of Investment on Foreign policy regarding Latin America, Caribbean Islands, Caribbean Pacific, Atlantic Islands and African countries.

While briefing the panel, Aizaz Chaudhry said that the committee members were right in stating that Pakistan needed more concentration in Latin America, Caribbean and African countries.

He said currently Pakistan was spending $ 150 million on purchasing, rents and other expenses in these countries. More than 70 per cent missions were one-man missions. “We need more resources. Turkey increased its missions and resources and also increased a lot exports especially in the African continent” he added.

He said the Pakistani missions except South Africa and Egypt, had one or two persons and others were one-man missions.

The foreign secretary said that Pakistan had diplomatic relations with 14 African countries out of 34. The Foreign Office was celebrating Africa Day for the last three years in which all the African countries’ ambassadors participated.

He informed the committee that due to the complaint against the principal of Sheikh Rashid Bin Al Makhtoom School, Dubai, an inquiry committee had been formed, which would soon submit the inquiry report.

Earlier the Director General Americas at the Foreign Office, informed the panel that Pakistan had diplomatic relations with 29 Latin American and African countries. Pakistan was exploring economic and defence opportunities in Latin American countries. Pakistan had a $ 364 million trade pacty with Argentina and a $ 300 million pact with Brazil. These countries had an agricultural base too and Pakistan wanted to do more trade with them.

But due to the geographical distance, language bearers and less Pakistanis residing in Latin America Pakistani mission were functioning in Brazil, Argentina, Cuba and Mexico only.

The prime minister of Pakistan recently gifted 15,000 metric tones rice to Cuba. Now Cuban inspectors were in Pakistan to check the quality of that rice because they rules were strict about the quality and it could also be an opportunity for Pakistani rice in the Cuban market.

He said following the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan more than 2000 medical teams came to Pakistan and they also announced 1,000 medical seats for Pakistanis.

He said that Pakistan was working on a preferential trade agreement with the regional organisation MERCOSUR. Pakistan was also thinking to open at least one diplomatic mission in the Caribbean Islands. The member of the committee, Senator Karim Khawaja said that Brazil was an emerging economy so Pakistan should concentrate on it. He suggested that the increasing of staff and opening up new Pakistani missions in these regions would be helpful. Shibli Faraz suggested enhancing trade with the region.

Farhatullah Babar suggested that Pakistan could learn from the experience of Latin American countries as to how these countries tackled the issue of enforced disappearing.

Senator Khawaja said that when the problem of enforced appearing was there at the time the UN made his grandfather G.A Allana as Rapporteur in the 1970s. Later on, even Chilean General Augusto Pinochet was punished after findings based on his report.

The Additional Secretary, Middle East and Africa said that Africa was the continent of the future and 27 countries, out of the 57 OIC were from Africa. He said through the “Look Africa” policy renewed a focus on relations with African countries.

Pakistan was the second largest contributor to the UN peace-keeping operations in Africa. Pakistan has a three billion dollars trade with African countries. Still, there was more potential, he said.

Mushahid Hussain Sayed suggested a reception for African ambassadors from the platform of the committee in order to improve relations with these countries.