Unity and resilience in the face of uncertainty

Muhammad Iqbal Dawood, President, Pakistan Business Council, believes that the strong relationship between the two countries is the ideal foundation for furthering business ties

The UAE and Islamic Republic of Pakistan have always shared sound bilateral relations. Building on this, through opportunities such as Expo 2020, is a prime objective of the Pakistan Business Council in Dubai.

Commenting on the relations between the UAE and Pakistan on the business front, Iqbal Mohammad Dawood, President PBC, said, "I believe that the UAE and Pakistan share a very good relationship overall, and this translates into very efficient business. There are many Emiratis who invest in Pakistan, and we of course have many Pakistanis investing in the UAE, and many more who live here, not only in employment, but also running successful businesses and investing in properties and other sectors. I do believe that this demonstrates the solid relationship between the two countries."

Managed by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the Pakistan Business Council operates with the aim of facilitating migration to, and investment in, Dubai as well as investment in Pakistan, by those who live in Dubai.

Talking about the role of the Pakistan Business Council in enriching Pakistan's business relations with the UAE, he said "Our goal is to look after the interests of businessmen, to explore potential opportunities and highlight areas that can be incentivised. Today, Pakistan is not only for Pakistanis, but also for anyone who wants a liberal investment destination. There are a lot of avenues here for business. People automatically prefer to invest in their own countries because it can be quite comfortable. What we do to facilitate this is not only highlight these avenues and opportunities, but also provide contacts in case they want any connections or need to be linked to any officials or authorities, to aid potential mutual collaboration."

"The Government of Pakistan, as well as the Dubai Chamber of Commerce are in close connection with us, and the Pakistan Consulate and Embassy in the UAE are also associated with us. We facilitate the involvement and compliance with local laws and regulations, and provide support to investors when needed. Therefore, as an organisation, I believe that we are a strategic asset in bridging the gap between the UAE and Pakistan, for facilitating business and migration," he said.

Opportunities through Expo 2020
In terms of opportunities for Pakistan through Expo 2020, Dawood said, "Expo 2020 is an event of great magnitude; there will be imports and exports of large amounts of commodities, a lot of advertising and branding of products and services and, in addition to digital advancements, infrastructural and logistical developments, in addition to some general concepts of entertainment." Incorporating all this and more, it is a multidimensional event that people from a variety of avenues can benefit from."

Dawood further mentions that property development, textile and the logistical sectors of Dubai are very attractive arenas for those investing from Pakistan and migrating to Dubai. People can benefit from the infrastructural and logistical advancements here in the UAE, which in the long run are very capable of supporting small, medium and large businesses, and all forms of investment.

On this special day
On the occasion of Pakistan Resolution Day, Dawood's message to readers is: "Pakistan Resolution Day is the cornerstone of the idea of Pakistan, and all Pakistanis cherish the day. The most important theme is unity, and unfortunately with Covid-19, we are not able to host events or gatherings to commemorate the day this year, but we are all always united at heart, under the vision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Currently, we are praying for the success of the goals of our country's Prime Minister, and we hope to achieve these collectively in the near future. I urge my fellow Pakistani brothers and sisters in the UAE to continue to show their resilience and unity in these difficult times, and remember that these struggles will pass, and that working together will bring success."


Board of Directors of Pakistan Business Council, Dubai
.    Ahmed Shaikhani, Senior Vice President
.    Khuram Khawaja, VP - Legal Affairs
.    Kamran Ahmed, Director
.    Ejaz  Ahmed, Director
.    Asif Zaman, VP Financial Affairs
.    Mahmood Shaikhani, Director


Become a PBC member
Those interested can apply for membership via the online form on the PBC official website www.pbcdubai.ae, or contact Ms. Ellanie, Office Manager, on officemanager@pbcdubai.ae or. Shahid Iftikhar, Executive Assistant, on
info@pbcdubai.ae for further assistance.

Membership categories

Category A: Dubai-based Pakistani Corporate Business Membership
Membership in this category is open to Pakistani businesses registered in Dubai, either independently or in affiliation with a UAE National or with a UAE Corporate body.

Category B: Dubai-based Pakistani Individual Membership
Membership in this category is open to all Pakistani nationals who are working in Dubai, except individuals that qualify as the representative of Dubai based Pakistani Corporate Member.

Objectives of Pakistan Business Council, Dubai

.    Promote trade, commerce and investment between the two countries.
.    Facilitate businessmen who are interested in investing in Dubai and other free zones in the UAE in all possible ways by providing them information in various avenues.
.    Introduce Pakistani products to business houses in the UAE, especially in Dubai for investment and for joint venture in Pakistan.
.    Organise exhibitions in Dubai to promote Pakistani products is another salient feature. At PBC Dubai exhibit, chamber members can participate and display their products.

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