On Sunday, 8 October 2023, Ambassador Azhar held a meeting with Mr. Naveed Ahmed, President of Okara Chamber of Commerce & Industries (OCCI) at Nemat Club Okara. Also present were the Honourable Chaudhary Riaz-ul-Haq Juj, former Member of National/Provincial Assembly and President of National Kisan Wing, Pakistan. Executive members, office bearers of OCCI, Chaudhry Muhammad Maqsood Jutt, Vice President of Potato Growers Society, Sheikh Riaz Anwar, trader organization representative and Mrs. Shahnaz Zafar representative of Rice Processing industry representative. Mrs. Norwati Binti Majudi, Immigration Attaché, Mr. Mohd Sukry Bin Ahmad, Assistant Immigration Attaché - I and Mr. Naeem Sabir Virk, Translator/Interpreter of the High Commission were present in the meeting.
During the meeting, both sides discussed matters to enhance cooperation in the field of agriculture, dairy products, education sector and people-to-people contacts. Mr. Naveed Ahmed, President of OCCI apprised the High Commissioner that Okara was an agricultural city, producing potatoes, rice, maize, wheat and the land of milk and cows. He requested the High Commissioner to facilitate in the export of potatoes, rice and dairy products of Okara to Malaysia.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Azhar said that Malaysia was ready to import agricultural produce and poultry. In this context of, he stated Malaysia had been importing food items from various countries. And that there was now a possibility for the export of poultry from Okara to Malaysia. He added that Malaysia was a major exporter of palm oil. He said that through trade and investment with Malaysia, Pakistan could also access the ASEAN market. He said 100,000 Pakistanis are in Malaysia. Currently, 5,000 Pakistani students are receiving education in Malaysia, as it has branch campuses of many international universities.
