ISLAMABAD , APRIL 14 : Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has announced that Islamabad would open a consulate in Munich, Germany, to tap into the economic potential of cooperation between the two countries.

Qureshi’s visit comes as Pakistan moves to lay the foundations of a structured dialogue with a key European country with whom Islamabad has never had a meaningful relationship.

“For greater economic collaboration between Pakistan and Germany, & in cognizance of growing needs of diaspora, I am happy to announce that Pakistan will be establishing a new Consulate in Munich,” Qureshi said.

“The foreign minister said a Consul General would be appointed at the Munich mission to supplement the diplomatic efforts of embassy in Berlin,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported. “He said Pakistan was committed to work out the Strategic Engagement Plan of Europe. He said Pakistan could explore cooperation with Germany particularly in areas of information technology, solar energy and electric vehicles.”

Qureshi said he was satisfied that around 5,000 Pakistani students were currently studying at various educational institutes in Germany, while “efforts would be made to expand the scope of cooperation in education sector by engaging Higher Education Commission so that Germany could become a top destination for Pakistani students.”

In a meeting with a delegation of the Pakistani diaspora in Germany, Qureshi said the government was making serious efforts to give the right to vote to Pakistanis living abroad.

“He said the option of electronic voting was under consideration to facilitate the expatriates,”  reported. “FM Qureshi acknowledged the services of the Pakistani community, terming it an important linkage for strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.”