Interview with the Ambassador of Pakistan to the Netherlands, H.E. Syed Haider Shah

Derya Soysal:
Dear Excellency, how do you see the future of the relations between Pakistan and the Netherlands, and what will be the next step in the bilateral relations, particularly in the fields of trade, education, security, and cultural exchange?

Ambassador of Pakistan to the Netherlands, H.E. Syed Haider Shah:
Thank you very much for your question.

Pakistan and the Netherlands enjoy good historic relations, spanning more than 70 years, and efforts are underway to strengthen these relations in different fields. We already have a robust trade relationship, which now exceeds $2 billion, with $1.5 billion in Pakistani exports and about $0.5 billion in imports. We also have good people-to-people contacts.

A large number of Pakistani students are studying here, and there is also a considerable Pakistani community living here. We expect not only that the momentum of the economic relations between our two countries will continue to gather pace, but also that it will further intensify and expand into other areas. One area you mentioned is scientific cooperation. A number of highly skilled Pakistani professionals have joined the high-tech industry here in the Netherlands in different positions, and we hope that such contributions and collaboration will continue in the years to come.

Derya Soysal:
How is the Embassy of Pakistan here in The Hague trying to attract investors from the Netherlands to Pakistan, and why should European, and particularly Dutch, investors invest in Pakistan?

Ambassador of Pakistan to the Netherlands, H.E. Syed Haider Shah:
There are good investment and business opportunities in Pakistan, and I am happy to note that businesspeople in the Netherlands have been astute enough to recognize those opportunities. More than 60 Dutch companies have been operating in Pakistan over the years, and they have invested in different fields.

There are strong commercial ties between entities in Pakistan and the Netherlands, and we hope that these ties will continue. As an embassy, we facilitate those contacts and relationships, those investments, and those opportunities. We have been encouraging Dutch businesses to participate in exhibitions that Pakistan has been hosting from time to time, for instance, in textiles, agri-products, and other fields.

Pakistani businesspeople and exporters have also been participating in such exhibitions in the Netherlands. As an embassy, we have a trade and investment desk here, which caters to the demands and requirements of businesses in the Netherlands as well as in Pakistan. We not only provide them with information but also offer useful services in terms of connections, bridge-building, and opportunities to be explored.

Derya Soysal:
And we have one last question. You mentioned that there are many Pakistanis here in the Netherlands. What role does the diaspora here in the Netherlands play in promoting Pakistani culture and serving as a soft power for Pakistan here?

Ambassador of Pakistan to the Netherlands, H.E. Syed Haider Shah:
The Pakistani community is, I would say, well established here in terms of running businesses and contributing professionally in different fields. They have been here for decades now. Some of them are now in the second and third generations.

We also have some members in local government. I think another important aspect is that, in sports and culture, many Pakistanis have been contributing, for instance, to cricket and hockey here. So, the Pakistani community is vibrant.

They are contributing positively to the promotion of bilateral ties between Pakistan and the Netherlands. Their professional contributions in different fields are also a recognition not only of their potential but also of the closeness between the two countries.

Derya Soysal:
Thank you very much, Your Excellency, dear Ambassador.

Let us make the Netherlands closer to Pakistan, and Pakistan closer to the Netherlands.

Ambassador of Pakistan to the Netherlands, H.E. Syed Haider Shah:
Yes, thank you very much. This is our endeavour.

Derya Soysal:
Thank you very much.