Germany prioritizes long-term visas for Pakistani businessmen and -women

KARACHI: The German Consul General in Karachi, Rüdiger Lotz, on Friday assured the president of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), to priorities visas for the Business community of Pakistan, ARY News reported.

During his visit to the FPCCI head office in Karachi, Rüdiger Lotz assured the FPCCI president, Atif Ikram Shaikh, that business visas will be prioritized for Pakistani Business community.

In a high-level, interactive session with the German travel business community, FPCCI Senior Vice President Saqib Fayyaz Magu highlighted the key areas of cooperation, including startups, research and development, women empowerment, vocational training, and business tourism.

Magu expressed pleasure at the appointment of Mahin Khan, a senior FPCCI member, as the German Consulate’s Focal Person on Trade and Investment for the Sindh and Balochistan region.

Magu urged the German Consulate to issue long-term visas to the business community after verifying their documents.

Lotz noted that Pakistan is an important market for German companies, which have had a presence in Pakistan and the region for over a century.

He pointed out that the number of Pakistani applicants for German visas has doubled in recent years.

Andreas Wegner, head of the German mission, emphasized the need for collective efforts to enhance bilateral trade, investment, joint ventures, industrial cooperation, and other areas of economic relations.

He highlighted Pakistan’s significant geo-economic position at the intersection of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.