BERLIN: Pakistan, in a bid to tap economic potential with Germany, will soon open a consulate in Munich, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced on Tuesday.

Talking to media personnel in the German capital, Mr Qureshi said Pakistan and Germany had great prospects for cooperation in trade and investment and expressed confidence that the new consulate would expedite matters in this regard.

The foreign minister said a consul general would be appointed at the Munich mission to supplement the diplomatic efforts of the country’s embassy in Berlin.

He said Pakistan was committed to properly formulating the Strategic Engagement Plan of Europe and added the country could explore cooperation with Germany, particularly in the areas of information technology, solar energy and electric vehicles.

Says government making efforts to give right of vote to overseas Pakistanis

He expressed satisfaction that around 5,000 Pakistani students were currently studying at various educational institutions in Germany, adding that the nation’s visionary poet Allama Mohammad Iqbal also studied at an institute in Munich.

Mr Qureshi said efforts would be made to expand the scope of cooperation in the education sector by engaging the Higher Education Commission so that Germany could become a top destination for Pakistani students.

In a meeting with a representative delegation of the Pakistani diaspora in Germany, the minister said the government was making serious efforts to give the right of vote to Pakistanis living abroad.

He said the option of electronic voting was under consideration to facilitate the expatriates.

Mr Qureshi acknowledged the services rendered by the Pakistanis living in Germany, terming them an important linkage for strengthening relations between the two countries.

He said that the government had launched the Digital Roshan Pakistan project for easy transfer of money to Pakistan through legal means.

The foreign minister informed the delegation about the “useful meeting” he had with his German counterpart, adding that the two countries were taking their bilateral and economic cooperation to a new level.

The delegation lauded Mr Qureshi’s efforts to promote relations with Germany and thanked him for the announcement of opening a consulate in Munich.

The foreign minister also visited the Pakistan embassy in Berlin where Ambassador Dr Mohammad Faisal warmly received him.

He inaugurated a Football Enclave at the embassy, marking the export of 50 million footballs from Pakistan to Germany annually.

Mr Qureshi also approved appointment of an Arzi Nawees at the embassy to aid with online application forms for those in need free of charge.

He reviewed working of different sections of the embassy, including the consular section, and expressed satisfaction over the facilities.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2021