President Dr. Arif Alvi has emphasized on cementing the bilateral friendly relations between Pakistan and Italy in diverse sectors including defence, agriculture, animal husbandry, IT and industry.

He was talking to Pakistan's Ambassador-designate to Italy, Ali Javed, who called him in Islamabad on Monday.

The President appreciated the idea of establishing manufacturing units by Pakistani diaspora in the industrial-free zone of Italy for manufacturing and exporting Pakistani goods and products in Italy and rest of the Europe.

He directed the Ambassador to focus on resolving the issues and problems faced by the Pakistani diaspora in Italy and provide them with the necessary support and counseling services online and at their doorsteps.

The President advised the Ambassador-designate to keep close linkages with the Chambers of Commerce and major industrial and manufacturing entities of Pakistan and explore the possibility of joint ventures with the Italian counterparts.

Dr Arif Alvi said Italian investors must be encouraged to shift their industrial units to Pakistan and benefit from the cost-effective labour, availability of raw materials, and investment-friendly policies in our country.

The President underscored the need to highlight the atrocities being committed by India in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir and the increasing incidents of intimidation, harassment, and marginalization of minorities, especially Muslims, and the increasing trend of Islamophobia in India.

Source: Radio Pakistan