Pakistan and Germany have very close and friendly relations and there has been remarkable positive developments in these ties in recent years and let us pledge to further cement, enhance and strengthen these ties. Pakistan and Germany both have many commonalities in history as Pakistan got independence in 1947 while Germany in 1949. Pakistan’s great scholar, thinker, researcher, poet of east and great leader ALLAMA MUHAMMAD IQBAL received his Ph.D. in 1907 from Munich University Germany. Today a road along the river Neckar in Heidelberg is named after Dr.Iqbal and at the Heidelberg South Asia Institute there is an Iqbal chair which contributes to research on Iqbal’s work. Iqbal was great admirer of Germany and its famous writer Goethe. Another great Scholar of Germany, Dr.Anne Marrie Schimmel, who liked Pakistan at such an extent that she called it her second homeland. She frequently visited Pakistan and her services to bring the scholars of both the countries bring closer are remarkable and are highly admirable. She had done valuable research o Pakistan culture specially on its spiritual and literary heritage which is now the part of history. Pakistani literary circle, writers and intellectuals are well aware of this great lady and she was extremely admired by them. I had the honor to study at Dr.Anne Marrie Schimmel Institute Hyderabad and from there I did number of certificate courses. It will be very interesting to note that Pakistani philosophers, thinkers and intellectuals have deep rooted links in Germany specially with their scholars. One of our great Scholar Ex Viove Chancellor Sindh University Allama I .I Qazi’s wife Mrs. Elsa Qazi was also German. She admired Sindh very much and wrote a book with the help of her husband: Brown Girl in Search of God”. She lived and died in Pakistan and buried at Sindh University’s grave yard. She selected verses of Shah Latif a famous Sindhi poet and translated these verses from Sindhi to English. Her poem” The Neem Tree” is still including in Pakistani school syllabus. Goethe Institute in Karachi, Anne Marrie Schimmel Institute Hyderabad, and Anne Marrie House Lahore are busy to connect Pakistan and German Scholars with one another. German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) which opened its office in Islamabad is another positive addition in this regard. Germany and Pakistan also share common challenges. Both countries heavily rely on oil import, foreign investment and export. Germany made huge investment in natural and human resources and Pakistan would like to follow its example. Many Germans with the reference of Dr.Anne Marrie Schimmel, Allama Iqbal, and Mrs. Elsa Qazi are well aware about the nature and culture of Pakistani people and they admire Pakistani cultures lively vivacious and hospitable characteristics. They very well know that Pakistanis by nature are friendly and amicable people and misperception about them spread by western and Indian media is incorrect. We have a lot of positive to show the world which is hidden from the eyes of people in western countries due to huge propaganda drum beat against Pakistan.
Cultural Relations
A large number of Pakistanis receive support from Germany in terms of scholarship to continue their higher studies. Germany is the third most popular country for Pakistani students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. after USA and UK. Engineering and natural science programmes are most in demand among Pakistanis studying in Germany. Pakistanis wish to set up several Universities with the help of Germany and we hope German government and private sector will come forward to invest in this sector.
Germany Language instruction is gradually being introduced at several secondary schools in Pakistan. This is the Part of PASCH schools scheme and under the initiative to attend International Summer Camp in Germany organized by the Goethe Institute. Gandhara exhibition was held in Bonn on 20th November , 2008 to highlight Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage.
Economic and development Relations
Pakistan and Germany have signed first bilateral investment treaty in 1959. This was the first agreement in the world that provided adequate mechanism of reciprocal protection of investment. The signing of new bilateral investment treaty by the two countries during Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani’s visit to Germany on 1st December 2009 was a historic step. This investment agreement paved the way to boost economic cooperation and created favorable conditions for investment between the two countries. Pakistan offers for German businessmen and investors to invest in Pakistan and to enhance trade volume. German companies should come forward to benefit from the opportunities available in Pakistan for investment, notably in oil, and gas , energy, agriculture, textile and industrial units.
Within EU Germany has become Pakistan’s biggest trading partner. Germany ranked as 9th largest trading partner even ahead UK. Unfortunately since 2007 there was a little growth of trade between two friendly countries which is around US$ 2 billion. Nevertheless, Pakistan German Trade ties are very solid and there is great potential to enhance them. There are many opportunities in the economic field and there is a lot of potential between the two friendly countries which can be further developed. We hope that with the improvement in security situation in Pakistan especially in the perspective of Pakistan\’s winning war against terrorism and with the development of CPEC opportunities are now multiplied many times
Areas where there are bilateral investment opportunities exist:
Ø Energy
Ø Automobile
Ø Education specially Engineering and Technical Education
Ø Vocational Institutes Memon Institute Korangi and German Technical Institutes can join hands
Ø Transfer of high tech expertise
Ø Textiles
About Germany
Germany is a country in central and western Europe lying between the Baltic and North seas to the North and the Alps Lake Constance and High Rhine to the South. It borders with Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Australia and Switzerland to the south, France to the South West, The Luxembourg, Belgium and Netherland to the west.
Germany includes 16 constituents states , covers and area of 375,386 sq kilometers. With 83 million people , it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia. Germany is very decentralized country . Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country’s busiest airport. Germany has a network of 227 diplomatic missions abroad and maintains relations with more than 190 countries.
Germany is the largest contributor to the budget of European Union with 20% and the third largest contributor to UN with 8%. It is an active member of NATO, The OECD, The G8, G20, The World Bank, IMF.
Economy of Germany
Germany has a social market economy with highly skilled labour force , a large capital stock, a low level of corruption, and a high level of innovation. It is European Union’s largest exporter of goods, and the largest national economy in Europe and also the world’s fourth largest nominal GDP and fifth one by PPP. Service sector contributes 38% , Industry 30% , Agriculture 1%.
It introduced single European currency in 2002. It is a member of Eurozone which represents around 340 million people.
Being home to modern car , the automotive industry in Germany is regarded as one of the most competitive and innovative in the world and is the 4th largest by production. The top 10 exports of Germany are vehicles, machinery, chemical goods, electronic products, electrical equipment, basic metals, food products and rubber and plastics. Germany is global leader in science and technology. The Noble Prize has been awarded to 108 German laureates,. It produces the second highest number of graduates in science and engineering (31%) after South Korea. Germany has been the home of many famous inventors and engineers including Hans Geiger, the Creator of Geiger counter, and Konard Zue, who built the first fully automatic digital computer.
Germany is the 7th most visited country in the world. Around 30 million tourists visit Germany every year. According to OECD rep[ort, Germany is the 3rd leading destination for international students.
GDP( official exchange rate) : $ 3.701 trillion
GDP(PPP) : $ 4.199 trillion
GDP ( Per capita) : 50,800
Industries
Among the world’s largest and most technological advanced producers of iron steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery , automobiles, beverage , textiles etc.
Export : $ 1.434 trillion
Export partners : US8.8%, France 8.2%, China
6.8%, Netherlands 6.7%
Export Commodities : Motor vehicles, machinery,
Chemicals, computers,
Pharmaceuticals
Imports : $ 1.33 trillion
Import partners : Netherland 13.8%, China 7%,
France 6.6%, Belgium 5.9%, Italy
5.4%
Import commodities : machinery , data processing
equipment, vehicles, chemicals
Pakistan Germany Trade Statistics
US$ Billion
Year Exports Imports Total trade Balance of Trade Total exports of Pakistan % share in exports Total import od Pakistan % share in import
2014 1.696 1.076 2.773 0.620 25.11 6.8 45.073 2.39
2015 1.599 1.134 2.733 .465 23.667 6.8 45.826 2.48
2016 1.679 1.294 2.973 0.345 20.786 8.1 44.684 2.90
2017 1.896 1.365 3.261 0.531 20.422 9.3 52.910 2.58
2018 2.00 1.541 3.542 .460 23.222 8.6 60.867 2.53