Pakistan has taken commendable diplomatic initiatives for peace and stability in the region, says German envoy
ISLAMABAD (City Reporter): German Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Ina Lepel visited the National Press Club (NPC), Islamabad, and participated in a special interactive session with journalists under the Press Club’s international outreach initiative, “Meet the Press.”
During her visit, the German ambassador toured various sections of the National Press Club and also planted a sapling on its premises as a symbol of friendship and environmental sustainability.
President National Press Club Abdul Razzaq Sial, Secretary Dr. Furqan Rao, members of the Governing Body and senior journalists warmly welcomed the German envoy upon her arrival.
Welcoming the ambassador, NPC President Abdul Razzaq Sial expressed hope that such diplomatic engagements would continue in the future.
On the occasion, NPC Secretary Dr. Furqan Rao briefed the ambassador about the history of the National Press Club, its journalistic activities, institutional role and initiatives for the welfare of the journalist community.
He said Germany was an important development partner of Pakistan, adding that the two countries enjoyed longstanding cooperation in trade, education, development projects and strengthening democratic institutions. He also appreciated Germany’s role in providing higher education opportunities and scholarships to Pakistani students.
Addressing the Meet the Press session, German Ambassador Dr. Ina Lepel highlighted the longstanding friendly relations between Pakistan and Germany and stressed the need to significantly enhance bilateral trade.
She pointed out that despite years of diplomatic and economic engagement, bilateral trade had not increased to the desired level. Recalling her previous diplomatic assignment in Pakistan in 2017, she said she had now returned to the country as ambassador, but regretted that trade volume between the two countries had not witnessed substantial improvement during this period.
The ambassador said Pakistan and Germany had vast potential for economic growth and stressed that both countries needed to work together to promote trade, investment and business cooperation for mutual benefit.
Discussing the regional situation, Dr. Lepel appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, particularly amid the recent US-Iran tensions. She said Pakistan had taken commendable initiatives to promote peace, stability and dialogue in the region.
She praised Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate peaceful resolution of conflicts and prevent further regional instability, emphasising that diplomacy remained the best way to resolve disputes and avoid escalation.
Commenting on the situation in Ukraine, the German ambassador strongly criticised Russia’s military actions and expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people. She said Germany and the European community stood with Ukraine and called on Russia to stop the killing of innocent civilians and respect peace, sovereignty and international law.
She added that European countries continued to extend political, economic and humanitarian support to Ukraine.
Speaking about higher education opportunities for Pakistani students in Germany, Dr. Lepel said Germany remained one of the preferred destinations for Pakistani students due to its quality educational institutions, extensive research opportunities and conducive academic environment.
She informed that Germany had increased the number of visas issued to Pakistani students. However, the growing number of applications sometimes resulted in delays in visa processing.
She said a large number of Pakistani students were interested in pursuing higher education in Germany, leading to an increased volume of visa applications. German authorities, she added, were working to simplify procedures and make the visa processing system more efficient and faster.
During the interactive session, journalists raised questions regarding bilateral relations, educational opportunities, regional security and international developments, which the German ambassador answered in detail.
She emphasised that media cooperation, people-to-people contacts and educational exchanges played a vital role in further strengthening relations between Pakistan and Germany.
At the conclusion of the visit, NPC President Abdul Razzaq Sial thanked the German ambassador for visiting the National Press Club and interacting with members of the journalist community.
He expressed hope that relations between Pakistan and Germany would grow stronger in the coming years and reaffirmed the National Press Club’s commitment to promoting meaningful dialogue and engagement among diplomats, policymakers and journalists.
