KARACHI: Around 300 Pakistani businessmen, mostly exporters, pay visit to United States every month. Out of 300, at least 200 travel from Karachi. These were the estimates given to Dawn by members of the business community.

'The traffic of business passengers would multiply geometrically with improvement in the business environment', former president Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Majyd Aziz said while responding to a query on opening of US business visa facility in Karachi on November 5.

He said many businessmen also visit US for spending holidays and during their stay they also held meetings with their US counterparts for expanding trade.

Chairman US-Pakistan Business Council of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Haroon Rashid said that only five US business delegations arrived in Pakistan during the last five years.

He said a delegation of the FPCCI council along with heads of BoI, TDAP and the federal minister for foreign investment would be visiting America from November 7 after a gap of six years.

He said the US was the biggest foreign investor in Pakistan and the largest buyer of local products. Out of total Pakistan's export, the share of US is 22 per cent in which 80 per cent items are textile related. 'However, if the overall imports of US are taken into account, then the share of Pakistan is less than half per cent.'

He said that the US had not given the duty concession to Pakistani exporters, which Washington is providing to the exporters of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka despite the fact that Pakistan is a frontline state in combating terrorism.

'Even the USA has not yet signed Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and Free Trade Agreement (FTA),' he added.

Haroon said re-opening of business visa issuing facility would help in confidence building of local businessmen with their respective business counterparts in US and vice versa.

This gesture would further help in easing up of Travel Advisory services for businessmen visiting Karachi, he added.