Islamabad, July 5 (INP): High Commissioner Babar Amin held a meeting with Mike Lawson, Deputy Secretary and Dr. Gino Grassia, General Manager International Branch at the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DII&S) in Canberra..

According to a message received here on Friday, said the Government of Pakistan was focused onenhancing collaboration in Industrial Innovation and Science with friendly countries like Australia for developing a robust and vibrant brain economy in the country.

He briefed the DII&S’ senior officials about his discussions with various Australian stakeholders for development of a bilateral Cooperation Framework to increase collaboration in science, technology, education and skills development sectors.He also evinced interest in becoming part of Australian Innovation Linkages Program.

Pakistan was looking for investment by Australian companies in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and invited them to establish a Hi-Tech Park within the SEZs. Pakistan, he said, offered opportunities for processing of rare metals like lithium, cobalt and nickel from Australia, which could be re-exported after value addition, he added.

The High Commissioner informed about the proposed Pakistan Minerals and Mining Road Show in Australia in the near future. He also invited Australian Venture Capital to invest in Innovation and Scientific research in Pakistan. The High Commissioner drew attention towards the opportunities available for Australian businesses to setup food processing industry in Pakistan.

Mike Lawson appreciated the existing scientific collaboration between Australia and Pakistan and acknowledged the need for its enhancement. He mentioned that the joint researches, which were carried out by scholars of the two countries, were being cited in various scientific journals. He further emphasized that theDepartment of Industry and Innovation would like to see increased engagement with Pakistani stakeholders for benefiting the two countries.

He noted with keen interest,the opportunities for Australian Venture Capital in Innovation and Research in Pakistan. He offered to bring together Australian Companies to attend Pakistan’s Mineral and Mining Road Show in future. He also welcomed Pakistan’s Research institutions to benefit from Australian International Collaboration and Global Innovation Linkages Programme.

INP/JAVED