Korea-Pakistan Relations Grow Stronger

Pakistani Ambassador Murad Ali contributed the following article to The Korea Times on the occasion of Pakistan Day, which fell yesterday.

I would like to convey my thanks for being given this opportunity to address readers on the occasion of Pakistan Day. It was on this day in 1940 that Muslims of South Asia resolved to carve out an independent state, a land where they could live in accordance with the tenets of their faith.

It was the unanimous will of South Asian Muslims under the dynamic leadership of our founder, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, which resulted in the creation of Pakistan.

The land of Pakistan has been a cradle of ancient civilizations. With well-developed cities, Indus Valley civilization was a contemporary of the Nile, Mesopotamian and Yellow River Civilizations.

Over two thousand years ago, the Gandhara Buddhist civilization flourished in northern Pakistan, with Taxila as the seat of Buddhist learning.

Archeological sites richly illustrate Pakistan's 5,000-year history. Cities from the 5,000-year-old Indus civilization stand beside Buddhist religious sites.

The historical links between our two countries go back many centuries. As early as the fourth century, the famous Maranantha of the Gandhara region introduced Buddhism to the then Korean kingdom of Baekje.

In the eighth century, the venerable Korean Buddhist monk Hyecho from the Silla Kingdom visited the centers of Buddhist learning and culture in areas of what is now modern Pakistan.

I am happy that more and more Korean tourists are visiting Pakistan to see the old glories of Buddhist and Gandhara civilizations.

Pakistan lies along the River Indus stretching over 2,000 kilometers from the freezing heights of Pamirs in the north to the beaches of the Arabian Sea in the south.

It has a population of 165 million people and land area of over 800,000 square kilometers. The northern areas of Pakistan are the meeting point of three major mountainous ranges: the Karakorams, the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush with some of the highest mountain peaks in the world.

Five out of eight of the world's tallest mountains are in Pakistan. On of them is the world's second highest peak, the K-2. Thousands of trekkers and mountaineers from around the world visit this fascinating region.

Pakistan is a moderate, modern, progressive Islamic state and pursues a policy of seeking friendly and cooperative relations with all countries.

It is a member of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which is an economic entity with 10 member countries including Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkey).

Pakistan is also a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and has close relations with Southeast Asian countries being a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), it is also Sectoral Dialogue Partner of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Pakistan is located at the confluence of Central Asia, South Asia and South West Asia.

In addition to the available extensive rail and road network, the country has developed Gwadar port and is constructing a network of highways that would serve to link up adjoining regions of Central Asia.

There are plans to link up South Asia with roads and oil and gas pipelines from Central Asia and Iran. Due to its strategic location with access to growing markets and competitive advantage, Pakistan is fast becoming a hub of economic activity.

The government is enhancing the role of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), in attracting investment and there are already some excellent examples of industrial complexes such as Marble City, Textile City, Pak- China Economic Zones near Lahore and the Lasbela Industrial Estate in Balochistan.

There are also immense prospects of developing Korean industrial complexes in Pakistan.

Pakistan's economy has grown at an average rate the country to position itself as one of the fastest growing economies of the Asian region.

The growth that the economy has sustained for the last five years is underpinned by dynamism in industry, agriculture and services, and the emergence of a new investment cycle supported by strong growth in domestic demand.

Energy, IT and small and medium sized industries are among the fastest growing sectors in the country.

The agriculture sector is responsible for 25 percent of its economy with cotton, rice, wheat, sugarcane and maize as the major crops.

The industrial sector accounts for 24 percent of the economy. Textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, building materials, cement, fertilizers, sports goods, surgical goods, and leather goods are the mainstay of the industrial sector and the country's exports.

Pakistan has emerged as a favorite destination for foreign investors, both direct and portfolio.

Pakistan's equity market is also attracting huge portfolio investment in stock markets. Foreign investment of this magnitude reflects the confidence of global investors in the current and future prospects of the Pakistan economy.

Pakistan and Korea are committed to strengthening regional and international peace. Our relations are marked by frequent exchange of delegations. Both countries share common views on dealing with the threat of global terrorism and extremism.

Pakistan supports regional and international efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

I am happy that commercial and economic relations between Korea and Pakistan are also rapidly expanding. Pakistan's exports to Korea grew by 44 percent in 2007, showing its continuous increasing trend. Bilateral trade has crossed well over $1 billion.

Pakistan's exports to Korea in 2007 were to the tune of $490.83 million. The balance of trade however is in Korea's favor.

While many Korean companies are taking advantage of the attractive investment and commercial opportunities and have undertaken business activities including infrastructure development and infrastructure projects in Pakistan, the current level of economic collaboration is not commensurate with the Korean private sector potential or the immense opportunities available in Pakistan.

I am therefore confident that our mutually beneficial ties will continue to expand and both countries will establish new grounds to further broaden cooperation in all fields.

Keeping in view that Pakistan is a reservoir of 165 million human capital and managerial skills which are second to none, it offers immense possibilities to produce exportable items for consumption in neighboring Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia, Middle East and western parts of China.

Korean capital and technology combined with Pakistani manpower in diverse sectors such as textiles, leather, construction, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, IT etc. could create synergy in manufacturing and service sectors, which would be mutually beneficial for companies collaborating in these sectors.