KARACHI: Kuwait is ready to negotiate and devise strategies to ease the issuance of business visas with Pakistan, its consul general said in Karachi on Tuesday.

The consul, Salem Youssef Al-Hamdan, said during a meeting at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) that Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior had been approached with regard to the matter, but has yet to respond.

“We want to ease the issuance of business visas, hence negotiations must take place between the interior ministries of the two friendly countries as soon as possible,” he said, as quoted in a statement released by KCCI on Wednesday.

According to KCCI, Al-Hamdan also pointed out that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a very important project, which would have a positive impact not only on Pakistan but the entire region.

“To attract the interest of the Kuwaiti business community and other investors from the Gulf, we asked the government of Balochistan to organize a CPEC conference in Karachi and we will make sure that this conference is attended not only by the Kuwaiti business community but also by other potential investors from the Gulf region,” he said.

Al-Hamdan also said that Kuwait has signed many memoranda of understanding with different institutions from all provinces in Pakistan, and the Kuwaiti Investment Authority was intending to undertake numerous projects in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh province.

“The two countries have good trade ties and many Pakistanis have also been working really hard in different sectors of the Kuwaiti economy, which is a testimony that we both are true friends,” he said.

KCCI president Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan said that Karachi offers profitable investment opportunities and facilities for trade, investment and joint ventures to Kuwait’s business and industrial community.

He also said that both countries enjoy cordial and healthy bilateral relations based on cooperation in different economic spheres, noting that exports to Kuwait are increasing.

“During 2018, Pakistan exported goods worth $172.69 million to Kuwait as against exports of $166.78 million in 2017, showing a growth of 3.54 percent, while our imports from Kuwait witnessed a decline of 4.11 percent to $1.40 billion during 2018 as against imports of $1.46 billion in 2017,” he said.