January 24, 2008	Thursday	Muharram 14, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 23: The British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, Hamish Clair Daniel, informed businessmen that several trade missions from his country were expected to visit Pakistan after the end of existing uncertainty and improvement in the environment.

“So far 11 different companies have indicated to send their missions to Pakistan to explore business and investment prospects,’’ he disclosed this in his speech during the farewell visit to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Wednesday.

The British diplomat completed three-year term of his present assignment in Karachi and is in the process of returning back to London. He also served at Islamabad for three years and was associated with Pakistan desk in British foreign office in London.

Mr Daniel was confident that the prevailing uncertainty in Pakistan would not last long and it would soon give way to a stable socio political economic order that will attract people and investors from around the world.

The British diplomat was all praise for the resilience on the people of Karachi, in particular and Pakistan in general, which was well manifested in a quick return to business normalcy after the killing of Ms Benazir Bhutto on December 27 and the violence that followed the incident.

Nonetheless, he said the British financial sector was showing great interest in Pakistan and in this connection he mentioned mergers and acquisitions of a number of Pakistani banks by the British banks. He particularly spoke of the recent acquisition of ABN Amro by the Royal Bank of Scotland, which will make appearance in Pakistan also.

Hamish Daniel informed the FPCCI members that during his association as many as 100 British companies invested and created their business interests in Pakistan. Pakistan, he said, offers a lot of prospects in many areas that include financial sector, energy, oil and gas exploration and other sectors.