LAHORE, Dec 2: Ambassador Dr Michael Koch says Germany can help Pakistan bridge energy demand and supply gap and overcome the prevailing crisis.

Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Tuesday, he said Germany, being world leader in renewable energy resources, could help protect Pakistan against cost increases as recently experienced in case of crude oil prices.

He said the German government was committed to rapid expansion of renewable energy resources by creating enabling environment for investment in the renewable energy sector. Concerted efforts were also being made to increase the volume of trade with Pakistan.

LCCI President Mian Muzaffar Ali said Pak-German trade volume was increasing, but there was still a scope for further increase in it.

Pakistan was the producer of finest quality of fruits and vegetables, rice, fish and textile products and its exchange rate made its products cheaper for German importers, he said.

He said German investment in Pakistan had increased from $11.2 million in 2001-2 to $2 billion in 2007 and had scope for further increase. Doing business in Pakistan was easier and products produced in it could be marked in countries of Central Asia.LCCI senior vice-president Tahir Javed Malik said that Pakistan offered immense scope for investment in information technology, alternate energy resources, telecommunications, textile, oil and gas, power, food, automobiles, dairy farming, SMEs, engineering, tourism and services sectors.

Honorary German Consul Anisur Rehman said renewable energy resources including wind, solar and biomass could be utilised to meet Pakistan’s energy requirements.

Renewable energy resources could also be utilised to give the poor people access to energy by providing off-grid electricity. warning: District Coordination Officer Sajjad Ahmad Bhutta says medical stores found violating a rule thrice will be sealed.

Presiding over a meeting of the District Quality Control Board here on Tuesday, he said the factories sealed on charges of manufacturing spurious drugs would not be allowed to operate again.

Declarations of printing presses involved in printing of labels of spurious drugs would also be cancelled. The board heard cases against 21 medical stores challaned for overcharging, sale of unregistered and expired medicines and palming off veterinary medicines for human use. Cases against 12 medical stores were forwarded to the drug court for trial. Owners of five medical stores were issued stern warning.