SERVICES TO AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSMEN/BUSINESSPERSONS FOR VISA:

Australian business persons may apply for multiple entries business visa to the High Commision or to this Consulate.

Visas would be processed on priority basis for Australian business persons and all eligible persons would get the visa within 24 hours ( next working day).

Australian businessmen/businesspersons may also obtain a recommendation letter from this Consulate addressed to Pakistan Immigration authorities recommending a 30 day visa on arrival at 5 Pakistani airports , ie, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and Islamabad .

For Pakistan Immigrations authorities rule on Visa on Arrival, pl visit www.interior.gov.pk and visit General Visa Policy\Visa on arrival.

INFORMATION FOR AUSTRALIAN IMPORTERS/INVESTORS

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

In October 2006, Pakistan restructured the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) into Trade development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to better serve the Pakistan export community and foreign importers.

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.

Please do also read Pakistan's TRADE POLICY 2007-2008 .Pdf, .Doc

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. 

EXPO 2008

THE TDAP IS ORGANISING EXPO 2008 FROM 13TH MARCH-16thMARCH IN KARACHI , PAKISTAN. THIS WILL SHOWCASE A VAST RANGE OF PAKISTAN'S EXPORT PRODUCTS AND IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE EXPORT RANGE OF PAKISTAN AND MEET LEADING EXPORTERS OF ALMOST ALL SECTORS AND SEE THIER PRODUCTS ON DISPLAY. THE PREVIOUS EXPOs HAVE BEEN A GOOD SUCCESS. IN 2007, OVER 1200 FOREIGN IMPORTER FROM 62 COUNTRIES IVISITED THE EXPO 2007 IN KARACHI. MOST OF THE ANNUAL EXPOs HAVE BEEN INAUGURATED BY THE PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN. ARRANGEMENTS FOR AIRPORT PICKUP, DROP, VISITS TO EXPO , PROVISION OF FULL SECURITY , ESCORTS WILL BE EXTENDED BY THE TDAP, GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN. IMPORTERS DESIROUS OF VISITING MAY PLEASE CONTACT THIS CONSULATE.

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 NEARLY 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.

According to 2005 World Bank Report, Pakistan was the top reformer in SouthEast Asia- making it easy to start a business, reducing cost of registration of property etc. Transparency and strong safeguards like relating to , eg, Intellectual Property Rights , are now much effectively enforced. Australian companies are well placed to invest in and collaborate in agribusiness particularly dairy, oil and gas exploration, mineral exploration and Service sector like Education etc.

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