Pakistani business community will benefit from this facility and now visas can be issued within 15 working days on receipt of complete and genuine documents.

British Deputy High Commissioner Francis Campbell who is also the Director, UK Trade and Investment Pakistan, briefed the media that it would help in flourishing UK-Pakistan relationship on many fronts especially boosting bilateral trade between the two countries.

This premium service will provide top class service to the business community in Pakistan, he said.

United Kingdom wants to raise the bilateral trade up to 2.5 billion pounds by 2015, which currently figures to about1.9 billion pounds, he said.

He said the premium lounge service would also help facilitate Pakistani people to participate in golden jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth-II and London Olympics scheduled for 2012.

To a question, he said United Kingdom has been and would be supporting Pakistan in getting GSP plus facility in Europe.

Regional Director, UK Border Trade Agency Ms. Mandy Ivemy said the premium lounge service was already functioning at British Visa Centres in Lahore and Islamabad.

Pakistan is very important for UK regarding trade and family visits. "We want to encourage people of Pakistan to visit UK. We want bright students from Pakistan to study in the UK

The information released by the UK Visa Centre on this occasion said that the Gerry's premium lounge in Karachi is a luxurious, dedicated and convenient lounge for UK visa applicants, which provides a personalised service for the submission of applications and passports for visa processing.

 

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011