Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday urged the Kuwait government to review its visa restriction policy for Pakistan, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
“Pak
istan has taken effective measures to curb use of illegal documents for traveling purposes. In this regard, the Kuwait government is urged to review its visa restriction policy,” the foreign minister said while talking to his K
uwaiti counterpart Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah in Kuwait City.
The foreign minister said that more than 0.1 million overseas Pakistanis are playing a dynamic role in development of Kuwait. The Pakistani diaspora in Gulf countries wants to get access to Kuwait’s markets, he said, and added that visa restrictions are a hurdle in getting access to the markets.
The K
uwaiti foreign minister assured Qureshi that the visa policy will be reviewed and all possible cooperation will be extended to Pak
istan in this regard. “Pak
istan is our brotherly Muslim country and the role of Pakistani community in development of Kuwait is appreciable,” Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah said.
Qureshi said Pak
istan gives much importance to its bilateral and economic relations with Kuwait. He said that Kuwait has supported Pak
istan in every critical situation. He said Pak
istan and its people have great respect for the people and government of Kuwait.
The K
uwaiti foreign minister said that services of Pakistani diaspora in Kuwait are appreciable as they are brave and hard working.
Qureshi said Pakista
n wants to further boost the existing economic relations with Kuwait. He thanked the K
uwaiti counterpart for supporting Pakistan’s stance during the recent Pak-India crisis. He also thanked him on supporting Pak
istan on the issue of human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir.
Meanwhile, talking to a delegation of prominent K
uwaiti businessmen, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the Pak
istan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is working on business infrastructure development agenda in the country. He said the government desires that the K
uwaiti compani
es invest in Pakistan, assisting the Pakistani government in accomplishing its agenda.
The minister said several K
uwaiti companies have already been successfully doing business in Pakistan. “The government has initiated economic diplomacy, and to this effect, all the embassies ha
ve been directed to apprise foreign investors on lucrative business opportunities in Pakistan,” he said, and assured the delegation of K
uwaiti business community that Pak
istan is providing all possible facilities to the foreign investors.
Qureshi reiterated the government’s desire to increase foreign investment in Pak
istan while speaking to a delegation of the Abu Shaibah Group of Companies, which was led by its chairman Sayyah Abu Shaibah. He said there are vast investment opportunities in Pak
istan in the energy, agriculture, health, education and construction fields for foreign investors and added that the investment of K
uwaiti companies will be welcomed.
The K
uwaiti delegation indicated their intent to bring massive investment in Pak
istan in the near future.
Qureshi arrived in Kuwait on Saturday on a two-day official visit to hold talks with K
uwaiti leaders. Talking to media persons before his departure at Islamabad airport, Qureshi had said he was carrying a special letter of Prime Minister Imran Khan for the Emir of Kuwait Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. He had expressed the confidence that his visit will help further strengthen relations between Pak
istan and Kuwait.