Major General Ambassador Ghazanfar Ali Khan was appointed to Ukraine in April 2007. He completed an advanced military degree in Pakistan and France and has spent much of his career in the defense sector. He previously served as military secretary to former Pakistan President Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari. Khan was also director general of the Defense Ministry in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He was deputy chief of the general staff and vice chief of the general staff at Rawalpindi General Headquarters and an instructor at the Command and Staff College. The ambassador speaks English, French and Urdu. He is married with three children and enjoys golfing. Here are excerpts from his March 19 interview with the Kyiv Post.
Ambassador Ghazanfar Ali Khan
Pakistanis in Ukraine
“During Soviet times, Pakistani students were mostly coming to Moscow, not Ukraine. However, in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they found their way here. At the moment, we have some 200 students mostly in Luhansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv universities, predominantly majoring in medicine, engineering and aviation. Competition for similar specializations in Pakistan is very tough. Those who are not lucky at home come to Ukraine, firstly, because it’s a reasonable combination of quality and price, and the reputation of Ukrainian universities in Pakistan is reasonably high. The language barrier has been one of the major issues for students. However, the good news is that more and more Ukrainian universities have started offering courses in English, which will inevitably draw a larger number of students. We are very actively working on such aspects as mutual recognition of Ukrainian and Pakistani diplomas and degrees, and establishing financial affiliations between selected universities in Pakistan and Ukraine to facilitate student exchange between the two countries.”
Insight into business
“At this moment we can name only three Pakistani businesses that are doing exceptionally well on the Ukrainian market (ISTIL Group, Sabina Pak Ltd. and Herbion). However, the majority are involved in small businesses, like marketing, textile, importing rice or fruits, etc.
“Mainly due to bureaucratic hurdles, it took us long to establish formal agreements on trade between Ukraine and Pakistan last year. It was only last year that we signed two important agreements: one eliminating the double taxation of imported products from Pakistan to Ukraine, and a general agreement on trade and financial cooperation. The third area of negotiation on protection of investment is in the process of being developed. In the absence of such formal agreements, businessmen from both sides were rather hesitant to enter the market.
“Ukraine’s joining the World Trade Organization has removed some of the technical obstacles, thereby facilitating the development of trade relations between Pakistan and Ukraine.
However, there are still some concerns among Pakistani businessmen. These issues are logistic in nature that slow development of confidence on the Pakistani side, that is the banking system and procedures for dealing with foreigners, the language problem, legal requirements for the registration and establishment of enterprises, etc. Secondly, obstacles exist in the sphere of visa and immigration policies. We have had instances where Pakistan businessmen traveled to Ukraine on proper business visas issued by the Ukrainian Embassy and have been deported without any good reason. The only response we got from local authorities was that the person apparently was unable to satisfy the immigration officers in Ukraine. Such instances certainly are not taken well and eventually discourage people to come here, particularly when such a thing happens to genuine and serious businessmen.”
Defense sector ties
“Cooperation in the field of defense makes up the largest part of total bilateral trade turnover [estimated at $350 million annually] between the two countries. Ukrainian military hardware is well known … because of its cost effectiveness, quality and the timely availability of equipment.
Higher expectations
“I think that, under the present political leadership’s pragmatic approach, Pakistani businessmen will be attracted to explore the market. The political instability in previous years, accompanied by the world economic crisis, restrained the development of trade relations. Now we expect the new leadership to establish unified policies enabling a smooth transition from the economic crisis and attaining a sustainable upward trend of economic development, which will surely draw more business and investment from outside.”
How to improve ties
“We expect that the new Ukrainian government will take appropriate measures to identify their future markets in countries of the East like Pakistan, be more receptive to the transfer of technology in selected areas and encourage people to people contact both at political as well as social levels.”
Security issues
“We have not had any major complaints in this regard. In terms of the student community, problems do occur; however, they are usually of the very routine and normal kind – nothing of a very serious nature.”
Cultural understanding
“I believe there is a mutual awareness and respect for the cultures of Pakistan and Ukraine in both countries. However, we are lacking in the area of representation and promotion of Pakistani culture here. There is a mutual desire on both sides to know more and more about each other’s culture.”
Urdu in Ukraine
“I know that very few universities in Ukraine have an Urdu chapter. However, as English is the major working language in Pakistan and the education process is also predominantly conducted in English, anyone who decides to work or study in Pakistan does not necessarily have to speak Urdu.
About Ukrainians:
Ukraine has been blessed with fertile soils, vast land, mineral resources, and optimum size of the population. Tolerance and, particularly, religious tolerance make Ukrainians quite extraordinary people. I must also express my admiration for the beauty and charm of the Ukrainian people, particularly the women and the grace with which most of them carry themselves. Ukraine has many places of interest as well. I personally enjoy watching opera, visiting old historical monuments and cathedrals. Some of the Ukrainian restaurants serve very good food besides providing a pleasant ambiance for their clients.
Message to Pakistanis:
“Integrate with the Ukrainian populace; learn from the positive values of Ukrainian society and work hard.”
Islamic Republic of Pakistan at a glance:
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Islamabad
Population: 175 million
Population live below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day: 20 percent
Official language: English
National language: Urdu
Religion: 95% – Islam. Also Hinduism, Christianity and Sikhs majority Christian
Human development index 2009: 141 out of 182
Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $448.1 billion
Per capita gross domestic product (PPP): $2,600
Annual inflation: 14.2 percent
Pakistan-Ukraine:
Bilateral trade turnover, 2009: $350 million
Major exports from Pakistan to Ukraine: leather, textile, fresh fruits.
Major imports to Pakistan from Ukraine: metal, defense goods.
Number of registered Pakistani nationals in Ukraine, 2009: Approximately 1,000.
Number of registered Pakistani companies: 3.
Major joint projects or major areas of cooperation: Defense, steel, telecommunications.
Kyiv Post staff writer Nataliya Bugayova can be reached at [email protected].
Read also ”World in Ukraine: Pakistanis bridge great distances‘ by Nataliya Bugayova.
