With squeezing financial space at home, Pakistan's high level delegation comprising senior officials of different ministries on Thursday left for Tokyo for preparatory work for more than one dozen agreements to be signed between Pakistan and Japan during President Asif Zardari's three-day official visit. The President's visit to Japan will commence from February 21.
The officials who flew to Tokyo are from the Ministry of Finance, Commerce, Agriculture, Economic Affairs Division and Foreign Office. These officials will finalise the agenda with their Japanese counterparts for president's visit. The most important agenda item that Pakistan is going to push during president Asif Ali Zardari's visit is getting of $3 billion soft loan for procurement of machinery for power production.
This machinery includes turbine generators and transmission equipment. Pakistan badly needs financial support as well as technology to overcome its growing energy crisis. Pakistan is also looking for early signing of free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan to enhance two way trade. Current trade balance is in Japan's favour and Pakistani imports are finding less share in Japanese market due to some compliance issues.
Sources said Pakistan is also interested in relocation of some manufacturing units to expand its industrial base and enhance industrial production. Pakistan and Japan will sign at least one dozen agreements during Asif Ali Zardari's visit for co-operation in agriculture and other sectors. Pakistan is also going to request JICA to conduct training programme in Pakistan to train its workforce in various skills.
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