Appointment of Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Lahore, Pakistan
WVR - On September 20, the Embassy of Vietnam in Pakistan solemnly organized the ceremony to appoint Mr. Rizwan Fareed as the Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
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| Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan congratulates Mr. Fareed, a businessman with a deep affection for Vietnam, on his appointment as Honoary Consul. |
The event was attended by Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan; former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri; Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mian Abuzar Shaid, and representatives from diplomatic missions in Lahore.
Speaking at the appointment ceremony, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan warmly congratulated Mr. Fareed, a successful and reputable businessman with a special admiration for Vietnam in Lahore. The Ambassador emphasized that this is Vietnam's first Honorary Consul in Pakistan, marking a new development in expanding Vietnam's diplomatic network in South Asia to promote political, economic, cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
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| Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan speaking at the event. |
Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan expressed confidence in Mr. Rizwan Fareed's reputation, capability, and enthusiasm, which will effectively extend the Embassy's efforts in promoting trade, investment, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and supporting Vietnamese citizens in Pakistan's most dynamic economic hub.
Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan welcomed the appointment, appreciating Vietnam's trust in appointing a reputable businessman from the province as Honorary Consul. He affirmed that Pakistan is a promising investment destination, with both the Pakistani government and Punjab province offering favorable conditions and incentives to boost investment.
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| The Governor of Punjab calls on Pakistani businesses to enhance exchanges and cooperation with Vietnamese enterprises. |
Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan praised Vietnam's significant economic progress in recent years, with annual export turnover exceeding 400 billion USD, and urged Pakistani businesses to enhance exchanges and cooperation with Vietnamese enterprises, contributing to the prosperity of both businesses and the nation.
Honorary Consul Rizwan Fareed expressed his deep gratitude to the Government and people of Vietnam for entrusting him with this honourable responsibility. He emphasized his commitment to leveraging every opportunity, experience, and existing relationships to foster the development of Vietnam-Pakistan relations in economic, trade, cultural fields, and citizen support, thereby strengthening the enduring friendship between the two countries.
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| Honorary Consul Rizwan Fareed expresses deep gratitude to the Government and people of Vietnam. |
On the same day, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan attended the inauguration of the Honorary Consulate Office of Vietnam in Lahore – Pakistan's dynamic economic center. The new office will undertake important functions such as assisting Vietnamese citizens in necessary situations, promoting trade and tourism development, and facilitating cultural and educational exchange programs.
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| Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan emphasizes that the appointment of an Honorary Consul in Pakistan's leading economic centre marks a new development in expanding Vietnam's diplomatic network. |
The establishment of the honourary consulate office aligns with the global trend of countries expanding their consular representation networks to enhance coverage, contributing to the bilateral economic development and fostering friendly relations between the two peoples.
During the Lahore visit, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan met with the leadership of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), one of Pakistan's most dynamic and largest chambers of commerce. LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad proposed a target to increase trade turnover to 5 billion USD by expanding market access and leveraging Vietnam's strategic position in ASEAN.
Pakistan primarily exports corn, cotton fabric, leather, and yarn, while Vietnam exports electronics, synthetic fibers, natural rubber, and tea. LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad called for diversification into seafood, processed meat, pharmaceuticals, fruits, and vegetables, and to explore opportunities in information technology and tourism.
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| Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan met with the leadership of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). |
LCCI Senior Vice President Khalid Usman noted that Vietnam's ASEAN membership brings strategic importance to Pakistan and suggested considering a future free trade agreement between the two countries. Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan announced that both countries are preparing to begin negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), paving the way for a new legal framework for bilateral economic cooperation with the goal of advancing towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the future, thereby promoting sustainable and effective economic-trade relations between the two countries.
(Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Pakistan)
