The High Commissioner of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Nigeria, Waqar Ahmad Kingravi, a retired major general, says that the cordial bilateral relations between his country and Nigeria have improved trade volume between both countries in the last five years. In this interview with INNOCENT ODOH, the envoy also stresses the need to re-establish direct flights between both countries to boost people-to-people relations, adding that collaboration with Nigeria in the area of fighting terrorism is yielding the desired results. Excerpts:
What is the current level of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Pakistan?
Traditionally, the relationship between Nigeria and Pakistan has been very good. Right from the time that Nigeria gained independence in 1960, Pakistan established diplomatic relations with Nigeria because Nigeria is a brother country with whom Pakistan desires very good relations because of Nigeria’s importance in Africa as well as in the world.
Over the past few years, these relationships have improved further once our President Manmoon Hussain visited Nigeria in June 2014. Subsequent to that visit we have established a commercial consular office in Lagos and because of which our business relations have improved a lot. So these steps are going on to further improve the business relations between both countries. In other fields also like defense and diplomacy, we support each other in international fora. So our relations are very good.
At the time your President visited Nigeria five years ago, the volume of trade between Nigeria and Pakistan was $70 million. Both countries targeted an improved trade volume of $1 billion in five years. How far has this been achieved in the last five years?
Unfortunately, we have not been able to reach the $1 billion target. Basically the problem in this regard is that the products which Pakistan can provide include agricultural products, food stuff and textiles. These are the major products bedside many others. But there has been a gradual decrease in demand because of Nigerian efforts to indigenise and rather reenergise their textile industry, and the food and agricultural industry.
So, on the other hand, Pakistan imports from Nigeria mainly in the LNG. So we are still way off the target but we are trying our best to increase business interaction with Nigeria as much as possible. For this purpose we keep on having exhibitions and delegations. We exchange delegations and we also participate in various trade fairs whether it is for medical equipment, agricultural field or textile and pharmaceuticals.
So, the efforts are on to increase the volume of trade but we have not reached the target of $1 billion. In 2017 the total volume of trade between Nigeria and Pakistan was $143 million and in 2018 it jumped to $441 million. So what Pakistan imported mainly was the LNG and that was a very major chunk. Out of $441, $274 million was what Pakistan imported and $175 million was what we exported because of the oil and LNG.
But Pakistan has been exporting rice and textile to Nigeria. But you know that there is a ban on rice now in Nigerian. So trade in this area has some limitations. But Pakistan will offer pharmaceutical goods, chemical and surgical materials, tractors and agriculture equipment to Nigeria and there is potential for improvement.
Recently there is study between Pakistan and Nigeria to carry out improvement in the production of fertilizers. We have very big companies that manufacture fertilizers and you have a lot of gas. And gas is raw materials for fertilizers, so Pakistan can help in the establishment of plants and have joint ventures with Nigeria in the field of fertilizers production. And in the petroleum fields, also we have companies that can go out and do business with Nigeria.
There was also the proposal to establish the Nigeria-Pakistan joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a platform to facilitate trade between private sector business men of both countries. How far has this gone?
Efforts are still on going to establish the joint chamber of commerce between Nigeria and Pakistan. But on the other hand we have delegations from other chambers, which are in Nigeria. We have interactions with them and also we have trade development cooperation and our own chambers in Pakistan which are directly interacting with the chambers over here in Nigeria.
Our efforts are to establish joint chambers with the ECOWAS in addition to Nigeria. However, it is taking lot of time, the MoUs have been exchanged and signed but further progress is yet awaited to finalise these agreements. There are some delays on both sides because of the various agencies involved. But soon they will be finalized.
One other area of relations between both countries is security and defence. Both countries are challenged by the threat of terrorism. We have Boko Haram in Nigeria and the question is that the collaborative efforts of both countries against terrorism appear under the threat of increasing terrorism. What is your take on this?
As far as security is concerned, we have very good relations with Nigeria and we have been cooperating to a great extent. As you rightly pointed out, Nigeria and Pakistan are facing similar problems of terrorism but Pakistan has curtailed terrorism to a very great extent in the last couple of years.
The experience which we have gained in fighting terrorism and carrying out counter terrorist operations we are transferring this experience to the Nigerian armed forces through training and exchange of visits.
We invite officers of the Nigerian armed forces for courses in Pakistan; we conduct counter terrorism courses, and last year a battalion of Nigerian Special Forces was trained in Pakistan. This year again we plan to do that. Besides that, the weapons and equipment which Pakistan can provide to Nigeria are available all the way and Pakistan has been going all the way to assist the Nigerian armed forces.
Pakistan has provided light aircrafts for surveillance to Nigeria and we have offered to provide fighter jets to fight these insurgents or terrorists in the border areas and the far-flung areas where these militants carry out action and cross over to the other countries.
So, it is not only Nigeria but the efforts of neighboring countries are required. So Pakistan is assisting in any way that we can to improve the capabilities of Nigeria to engage and neutralize those militants in the shape of weapons and equipment that we are providing to Nigeria.
What is the role of Pakistan towards the peace and stability Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban government?
Pakistan had great relations with Afghanistan because they are our Muslim brothers and they are similar people living on both sides of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan and they are from the same tribes. So Pakistan has influence in Afghanistan. Pakistan has been trying to establish peace in Afghanistan through this influence because it is in the interest of Pakistan if Afghanistan is stable.
The main fight is by the local Afghans against people who have come from abroad such as the Americans. Previously it was NATO, and Afghans are fiercely independent people, they do not like outsiders to come and dictate terms to them. So this time the problem the Afghans have is with the foreign troops in Afghanistan. Pakistan has taken a lot of initiatives to resolve this problem politically and peacefully through involving the regional countries, which include China, Iran, Russia and USA.
So Pakistan has an important role in the establishment of Peace in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has traditionally been ruled by a coalition of people who represent all different areas of the country. You cannot have one group of people from the north or from the south to rule over Afghanistan that will be very difficult. So you have to have representation from all parts of Afghanistan for peace to reign.
Pakistan through its friendly relations with the powerful groups is helping in establishing peace in Afghanistan.
How many Nigerians are seeking education in Pakistan?
Fortunately, Pakistan has very good educational institutions and previously also a lot of professors from Pakistan came to Nigeria in the 70s with doctors and engineers also. So we have the capability to train the people either here or in Pakistan. Lately, Nigerians have been going to Pakistan to seek education and there are some who go on their own and there are some who go on scholarships. So, there are more than 1000 Nigerian students in Pakistan who are undergoing educational training in Pakistan and this number keeps increasing day by day and Pakistan welcomes Nigerians into their universities; we have well established universities for these students.
How have the collaborative efforts between Nigeria and Pakistan helped in addressing Nigeria’s challenge of infrastructure and how involved is Pakistan in the area of infrastructure in Nigeria?
Unfortunately, we are not in a very big way involved in infrastructure development because some of these other fields have not been covered between Nigerian and Pakistan. But we have the capability and whenever we are asked we can assist in the field of roads construction, building, dams and big infrastructure. We have the capability to help Nigeria but up till now we are not in this field.
How long have you been in Nigeria?
I came here last July and I find that Nigeria is very interesting country especially now that the elections have been held with lots of activities. That happens in all countries and the good thing is that democracy is here in Nigeria and well established now. We congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been re-elected and we will like to see him in Pakistan because I think that a visit by Buhari to Pakistan is due in the near future and I am sure that if this visit takes place, a lot of development will take place in the mutual relations and improvement of relations.
We will also like to share cultural exchanges with Nigeria because Nigeria is very rich in culture and we would like to exchange cultural delegation with Nigeria also. It is very important that we have people- to- people contact.
Unfortunately there is no direct flight from Pakistan to Nigeria till now. Many years ago there was a direct flight by Pakistani airline to Kano that was a long time ago due to commercial reasons. But we have this proposal in mind that we must have direct flight and that way the people- to -people contact, the business exchanges, the cargo, everything will improve. So this is one area which needs more attention.
