A delegation from the Pakistan Embassy, Riyadh, led by Hassan Wazir, counselor and acting charge d’affaires, met Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC) Chairman Abdulrahman A. Al-Zamil and discussed strategies for bolstering bilateral ties and further enhancing economic cooperation.

Waseem Hayat Bajwa, commercial attache, Embassy of Pakistan, who was also a key part of the delegation, told Arab News on Thursday: "We held an important meeting with CSC’s Chairman Abdulrahman A. Al-Zamil and Saud A. Al-Mashari, assistant secretary general for legal and administrative affairs.

During the discussion, Wazir focused on the brotherly relations between the two countries and emphasized the need for further strengthening them, particularly in the commercial and economic fields."

Al-Zamil, according to Bajwa, confirmed the importance of the bilateral economic and political relations and stressed the need for expanding them as “they are not in commensurate with the actual potential.”

Zamil spoke on Saudi Arabia's investment opportunities and was keen on bringing Pakistan’s listed and other major companies in the construction, technology, agricultural and services sector to the Kingdom, Bajwa said.

He pointed that the CSC chairman laid particular emphasis on revitalizing Pakistan’s human resources, especially in the services and construction sectors, because of their huge demand across the Kingdom.

He suggested that Pakistan’s government and private training institutions should focus on fulfilling the ever-rising demand and needs of the Saudi market by providing requisite trained manpower to the Saudi companies, the Pak diplomat said.

When asked about the potential and ability of Pakistan’s training institutions in both the government and private sectors, Bajwa called for an effective collaboration with the Saudi companies by establishing a specialized center to cater for the Saudi market.

During the meeting, Bajwa also highlighted some important issues requiring cooperation from the CSC. especially through the joint efforts of the chambers of commerce and industry of the two countries. Each country could hold exhibitions in the other country and facilitate the business visas, and cooperate in the education sector.

As regards to the CSC’s collaboration with the overseas chambers of commerce and industry, Al-Zamil is quoted to have said: "We are framing new rules, which will be ready in two-three weeks, and then we will form the joint councils respectively with different countries, including Pakistan."

The proposal for single country exhibitions was warmly welcomed with Al-Zamil urging the Pakistan commercial section to initiate a plan for implementation.

About the business visa facilitation issue, Bajwa said: “We have clear directions from the government to grant visas to Saudi businessmen within 72 hours and accordingly we are facilitating them, whereas Pakistani businessmen are facing problems in getting Saudi visas."

Al-Zamil agreed to take up this issue with the concerned authorities, particularly in the case of genuine businessmen and potentially useful companies.

About the prospects for collaboration in the education sector, especially with regards to the establishment of Pakistani engineering and medical colleges in the Kingdom, the CSC agreed to facilitate business setups and liaisoning with the national committee for health and technical and vocation training center in the Kingdom.

Bajwa described the meeting as "very positive" and hoped to pursue the issues.