AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
ISLAMABAD
 

PRESS RELEASE

New South Wales Delegation Concludes Goodwill Visit to Pakistan

From 13 to 22 December, a delegation from the Australian state of New South Wales led by President of the New South Wales State Legislative Council, the Hon Amanda Fazio MLC, completed a goodwill visit to Pakistan.

“Australia and Pakistan enjoy warm and growing relations,” delegation leader Amanda Fazio said.

“Both countries have federal systems of government, and the visit provided a valuable opportunity to compare experiences.”
 

“We hope our visit encourages increased parliamentary linkages at State and Federal levels.”
 

The delegation expressed New South Wales’ interest in strengthening trade and investment ties between the business communities of Australia and Pakistan, particularly in agriculture and resource sectors. They met with the Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade and the Privatization Committee.
 

The delegation highlighted Australia’s increased development cooperation program in Pakistan and discussed further scope for Australian collaboration with partners in Pubjab in different sectors. Members of the Punjab Provincial Assembly expressed great appreciation for the deployment of Australia’s medical facility in Kot Addu, Punjab, which treated over 11,000 flood affected people in the region.
 

During the ten-day visit, the delegation met a wide range of senior government and parliamentary leaders, at the Federal and Provincial levels as well as representatives from the legal and law enforcement sectors, NGOs, and the business community.
 

The delegation included Justice Joanne Harrison, Judge, New South Wales Supreme Court; Ms Lynda Voltz MLC; Mr Shaoquette Mosalmane MLC; and Ms Sonia Hornery MP. Mr Kashif Amjad, CEO Slimtel and Vice-President of the Australia-based Pakistan-Australia Business Council accompanied the delegation.
The delegation thanked Pakistan’s Acting Consul-General to Sydney, Mr Hamid Asghar Khan for extending the invitation for the goodwill visit.

22 December 2010

Contact: Ms Charlotte Kennedy, 051 835 5500