ATTESTATION OF DOCUMENTS.

Business Documents of Australian Institutions / Departments / Companies are also attested by Consulate provided they are duly verified/attested by DFAT. Fee per attestation is AUD 16 and will be done within 2 business days. Companies may pl apply on their letterhead and also send copies of the document to be attested.

VISA AND VISA ON ARRIVAL FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSPERSONS.

Australian Businesspersons are given visa by next working day if they provide all required documents including letter of invitation from Pakistani company/Chambers, a letter from their company/chamber. Australian businesspersons desiring visa on arrival recommendation letter from HC Canberra or CG Sydney may pl provide copies of their passport and invitation letter for consideration. VOA letter is provided only for arrival in major airports of Pakistan.

IMPORTING FROM PAKISTAN:

PAKISTAN HAS A WIDE RANGE OF EXPORT PRODUCTS;IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST COTTON GROWING AND YARN AND FABRIC PRODUCER/EXPORTER. TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INCLUDING HOME FURNISHING (MANCHESTER, WITH BED LINEN BEING THE LARGEST EXPORTS) ACCOUNTS FOR OVER 60% OF PAKISTAN'S EXPORT WORTH OVER US$ 11 BILLION. 10% OF ITS EXPORTS COMPRISE OF FOOD ITEMS INCLUDING OVER US$ 1 BILLION EXPORT OF RICE FOLLOWED BY SEAFOOD ,FRUITS & VEGETABLES, PROCESSED FOOD BISCUITS, HONEY, PACKED SPICES ETC. LEATHER AND LEATHER GARMENTS & GOODS, HAND KNOTTED CARPETS, ENGINEERING GOODS PARTICULARLY AUTOMOBILE PARTS, SURGICAL AND MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS, CUTLERY, MUSICAL ITEMS AND SPORT GOODS ARE AMONG MAJOR EXPORTS. IN FY 06/07, EXPORTS OF GOODS WILL CROSS US$ 20 BILLION. THE IT SECTOR IS EMERGING AS A MAJOR SERVICE EXPORTS. PAKISTANI FIRMS ARE ALREADY EXPORTING IT SERVICES TO AUSTRALIA

FOR COMPLETE RANGE OF PRODUCTS, EXPORT STATISTICS AND NAME OF EXPORTERS BY PRODUCTS, PLEASE VISIT www.tdap.gov.pk. THE TDAP ( Trade Development Authority of Pakistan ) HAS ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR IMPORTERS.

THE Trade Development Authority of Pakistan ALSO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS WHO RELOCATES THEIR PLANTS TO PAKISTAN.

 TRADE POLICY 2009-10  .                     Other details may pl be seen at  www.commerce.gov.pk
Opportunities of Sourcing Textiles and Sport Goods from Pakistan

INVESTING IN PAKISTAN:

PAKISTAN IS A BUSINESS FRIENDLY COUNTRY AND FDIs HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY SHARPLY IN RECENT YEARS. FOREIGN INVESTMENT IS FULLY PROTECTED BY LAW AND 100% EQUITY, ( in most cases )  AND REPATRIATION OF CAPITAL AND PROFITS/DIVIDENDS IS ALLOWED. FOR DETAIL PL SEE THE POLICY MATRIX. NO PERMISSION ( EXCEPT IN 4 INDUSTRIES RELATED TO SECURITY AND MORAL VALUES) IS REQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT IN MANUFACTURING IN PAKISTAN. THERE ARE OVER 600  MAJOR MNCs OPERATING IN PAKISTAN SINCE DECADES EARNING A VERY HIGH ROR. PAKISTAN HAS  ONE OF THE MOST LIBERAL INVESTMENT POLICY NOT ONLY IN MANUFACTURING BUT ALSO IN SERVICE AND AGRICULTURE. PAKISTAN HAS MANLY BITs INCLUDING WITH AUSTRALIA AS WELL AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION. FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN PORTFOLIOS HAVE ALSO BEEN INCREASING IN PAKISTAN. FOR SECTOR ANALYSIS, DETAILS OF LISTED COMPANIES AND SECURITY EXCHANGE TRANSPARENCY DETAILS ETC PL VISIT www.secp.org.pk

FOR COMPLETE DETAILS INCLUDING EARNING OF INVESTORS, TAX BREAK, AVAILABILITY OF STATE OF ART INFRASTRUCTURE FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS , PL VISIT www.pakboi.gov.pk . PAKISTAN HAS ONE OF THE MOST TRANSPARENT TRADE REGIMES. ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY VISITING www.commerce.gov.pk and www.cbr.gov.pk FOR TRADE AND TARIFF AND TAXATION ISSUES. BOI WEBSITE ALSO GIVES DETAILS OF INVESTMENT POLICY, REGIMES, OPPORTUNITIES, DETAILS OF FOREIGN INVESTORS, TOP PAKISTANI COMPANIES BY RANKING ETC.

There is very good investment opportunities in Dairy sector, Food processing, oil & gas exploration, mining etc. full details can be seen in pakboi website. Interested firms may please contact us for full report on the dairy sector in particular and other sectors in general in addition to information available in PakBOI website.

The Board of Investment has prepared many feasibility studies on specific sectors. List of sech studies may be seen by clicking Pre-feasibility Studies. Studies are available in www.pakboi.gov.pk .BOI have also compiled  List of Projects in Pakistan

Importers/Investors may also please note that Pakistan is a signatory of and has ratified the New York Convention on arbitration .

THE FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN'S CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (FPCC&I) IS THE APEX BODY OF ALL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND PRODUCT SPECIALIZED EXPORT AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS. THEIR WEBSITE PROVIDE USEFUL INFORMATION AND LINKS TO ALL THE CHAMBERS AND  EXPORT ASSOCIATIONS WHICH GIVES PROFILES OF THEIR MEMBERS ALSO. PLEASE VISIT www.fpcci.com.pk

Trade Disputes

Pakistan's exporters track record has been very well established over decades and they conform to the terms and agreements that are mutually agreed upon. However, as expected in any business transaction, in few cases, there could be mis-understandings and potential claims. To avoid that negligible number to be your company, we advise the following :

It is of course always in the interest of both the importers and exporters to enter into transaction by L/C. Importers would be well advised to have a pre-shipment clause inserted to avoid any situation that may result in quality/quantity discrepancies. Major international pre-shipment companies also operate in Pakistan. If any breach is done by exporters in terms of delivery etc, the importer has the added advantage that banks will not pay the exporter if any clause of the LC is breached.

For cases where problems have already occurred, the Trade development Authority of Pakistan of Pakistan may be approached please. They have a  Trade Dispute Directorate , which will take up your case. They will try to convince the exporter to amicably settle the issue with you, failing which the TDAP, if it is convinced that the exporter is on the wrong, may  take the matter to a Commercial Court 

To avoid delays, please send the information as per enclosed annexure to us for transmission to the TDAP.