Pakistan, Germany: Partners of peace and
Development
Dr. Syed Mehboob
Economic and Political Analyst
http//: www.thenewslark.com
Pakistan and Germany have very close and friendly relations, and there have been remarkable positive developments in these ties in recent years. 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 gained independence in 1949. Pakistan’s great scholar, thinker, researcher, poet of the 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 that contributes to research on Iqbal’s work. Iqbal was a great admirer of Germany and its famous writer, Goethe. The great Scholar of Germany, Dr. Anne Marrie Schimmel, who liked Pakistan to such an extent that she called it her second homeland, and she frequently visited Pakistan, and her services to bring the scholars of both countries closer are remarkable and highly admirable. She had done valuable research on Pakistani culture, especially on its spiritual and literary heritage, which is now part of history. The Pakistani literary circle, writers, and intellectuals are well aware of this great lady, and she was extremely admired by them. It will be very interesting to note that Pakistani philosophers, thinkers, and intellectuals have deep-rooted links in Germany, especially with their scholars. One of our great Scholar former Vice Chancellor of 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 was buried at Sindh University’s graveyard. 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 included in the 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 are partners of peace and development. Both countries heavily rely on oil imports, foreign investment, and exports. Germany made a huge investment in natural and human resources, and Pakistan would like to follow its example. Many Germans, with the reference to Dr. Anne Marrie Schimmel, Allama Iqbal, and Mrs. Elsa Qazi, are well aware of the nature and culture of Pakistani people, and they admire Pakistani culture's lively, vivacious, and hospitable characteristics. They very well know that Pakistanis by nature are friendly people, and the misperception about them spread by a certain section of the media is incorrect. We have a lot of positive things to show the world, which is hidden from the eyes of people in Western countries, which is needed to be highlighted.
Cultural Relations
A large number of Pakistanis receive support from Germany in terms of scholarships to continue their higher studies. Germany is the third most popular country for Pakistani students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. after the USA and the 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 the 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 the PASCH schools’ scheme and under the initiative to attend an International Summer Camp in Germany, organized by the Goethe Institute. The Gandhara exhibition was held in Bonn on 20th November 2008 to highlight Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage.
Economic and Development Relations
Pakistan and Germany signed the first bilateral investment treaty in 1959. This was the first agreement in the world that provided an adequate mechanism of reciprocal protection of investment. The signing of a 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 German businessmen and investors opportunities 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, gas, energy, agriculture, textile, and industrial units.
Within the EU, Germany has become Pakistan’s biggest trading partner. Germany ranked as the 9th largest trading partner, even ahead of the UK.
Pakistan's 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 that can be further developed. We hope that with the improvement in the 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 an area of 375,386 sq kilometers. With 84 million people, it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia. Germany is a 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, and 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 the 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 largest by PPP. The service sector contributes 68.6%, Industry 30.7%, Agriculture 0.7%.
It introduced the single European currency in 2002. It is a member of the Eurozone, which represents around 340 million people.
Being home to modern cars, 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 Nobel 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 the Geiger counter, and Konrad Zuse, 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 the OECD report, Germany is the 3rd leading destination for international students.
GDP(Nominal): US$ 5,014 billion
GDP(PPP) : $ 6,154 billion
GDP per capita (PPP) : $73,553
GDP Per Capita (Nominal) : $59,925
Area Square Kilometer : 357,022
Population : 83.49 million
Germany is among the world’s largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, automobiles, beverages, textiles, etc.
Export : $ 1,774 billion
Export partners : EU 55.8%, China 5.2%, USA 9.4%
Export Commodities : Motor vehicles, machinery,
Chemicals, computers,
Pharmaceuticals
Imports : $ 1,545 billion
Import partners : EU 51.5%, China 12.5% USA
6.5% UK 2.8%
Import commodities : machinery, data processing
equipment, vehicles, chemicals
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