KARACHI, June 23: German Consul General Countess Von Roedern has attributed the low volume of trade between Pakistan and Germany during the last few years to German peoples’ reluctance to visit Pakistan because of security reasons.

In a meeting with members of the KCCI on Monday, she maintained that it was the responsibility of the two governments and particularly the private sector to convince the German traders and investors to come to Pakistan.

Countess Von Roedern acknowledged that there was a considerable improvement in law and order situation in Pakistan, but lamented that public perceptions were formed by what they had read in newspapers. It was earnestly needed that foreign investors, including German people, be convinced to visit Pakistan, observe the ground realities on their own and explore the prospects of bilateral trade, she said.

She expressed the hope that bilateral trade would improve in near future immensely saying that there was a great scope of exports of textile, textile made-ups from Pakistan to Germany, while Pakistan can import German textile machinery, which was though expensive, better in quality and long lasting.

Answering a question regarding the problems faced by Pakistanis in getting German visa, Ms Countess assured that business visa would be issued in the shortest possible time.

She, however, maintained that the delay was caused owing to non-fulfilment of the requirements for the visa by the applicants. Earlier, KCCI president Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo pointed out that despite the potential, volume of trade between Pakistan and Germany remained low.

The volume, which was $1.1 billion in 1997-98, declined further to only $900 million in the year 2001- 02. He called for immediate steps for the enhancement of trade between the two countries.