12-10-2010, 01:26 PM
KARACHI: Swiss Ambassador Christoph Bubb along with the Consul General Didier Boschung visited the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI) to familiarise himself with the business environment in the country and to obtain the ground realities of operating in Pakistan from the business community’s perspective. The prime objective of the Swiss delegate’s visit to OICCI was to identify avenues for bilateral collaboration with Pakistan including identification of sunrise industries, which may be of interest to Swiss investors. The current energy crisis along with the social and political situation of the country was also discussed in detail. The delegation inquired about the initiatives being taken by the government of Pakistan and stressed improving the image of the country for potential investors. During the meeting, the issue regarding violation of “Intellectual Property Rights” was also raised with particular reference to the data protection law for the pharmaceutical sector. Ambassador Bubb shared his concerns regarding policy implementation and lack of proper governance in the country. Speaking at the occasion, Ameena Saiyid - OBE, President OICCI said, “Despite these negative aspects, Pakistan still remains an attractive destination for investment and members of the Chamber have been running their businesses successfully in the region even during the difficult periods.” Ameena assured the delegate that the government could further improve the investment scenario of the country by broadening the tax base, strengthening the education system, and developing facilities to provide technical training. The ambassador acknowledged the efforts being made by the OICCI and stated that more was needed on the international front towards eliminating misperceptions about Pakistan. As the foreign world often assumes Pakistan to be a war zone, which is quite contradictory to the reality.