Islamabad ( Web News )
Turkey wants to increase trade with Pakistan to over as both nations have significant potential to expand trade in many goods, said Ambassador Dr. Mehmet Pacaci. He was talking with Irfan Iqbal Sheikh President of FPCCI, Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Nassr Hyyat Magoo Former Presidents, Muhammad Suleman Chawla SVP, Khuwaja Shahzeb Akram Former SVP, Amin Ullah Baig, Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi, Vice Presidents, Mirza Abdul Rehman, Chairman Coordination, and other members of the FPCCI at Federation Of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Capital Office, Islamabad. Discussions on further improved bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Turkey.
Dr. Mehmet Pacaci Turkish ambassador further said the volume of mutual trade between Pakistan and Turkey was over 8 million dollars and there was much room to further enhance this amount. He said both the brotherly countries should take advantage of each other’s experience to further boost the trade ties. He said soon a delegation from Pakistan would visit Turkey where businessmen from both sides would share their trade experience with each other providing a chance for further polishing their trade skills and scope.
Speaking on the occasion, President FPCCI Irfan Iqbal Sheikh stressed further strengthening of bilateral trade and relations between Pakistan and Turkey and said that it is time to increase the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries. He highlighted various investment opportunities in Pakistan in the Sectors of oil and gas, mines and minerals, gemstones, tourism, information technology, food processing, agriculture, dairy products, furniture, hotel, and resorts. He further said that the experience of the Turkish tourism sector can be utilized for the development of the tourism sector. The Turkish advanced technology in various fields may lead Pakistan’s various sectors to develop and be beneficial, he added.
Mian Anjum Nisar Former President of FPCCI & Chairman of BMP noted that despite enjoying exemplary relations, trade between Pakistan and Turkey stood at just $1.2 billion. He stressed that both countries should promote strong linkages between their private sectors. Talking about trade through roads and railways, he asked Pakistan to upgrade its railway system to make it compatible with the Turkish rail network in order to promote trade through railways.
Mian Nasir Hayyat Magoo, Former President of FPCCI said that the vision and ideology of Pakistan and Turkey are similar and the friendship between the two countries is considered the best and ideal in the world. The private sector of both countries has come closer in this era through FPCCI and the Turkish Chamber of Commerce which are playing their pivotal role in stabilizing and enhancing bilateral trade relations between both countries.
Muhammad Suleman Chawla Senior Vice President of FPCCI said that Pakistan & Turkey enjoy heart-to-heart relations But the current volume of trade is not reflective of the actual potential of both countries. Turkey has vast experience in border station development and urged that Turkey should invest in modernizing the border stations of Pakistan with Central Asian Countries to develop investment in trade and economic sectors.
Amin Ullah Baig, Vice President FPCCI said there were vast opportunities for investment in minerals, tourism, hydel and cross-border trade sectors in Pakistan adding Turkey by keeping in view the potential should invest in these sectors. The local business community has great interest in investing with its Turkish counterparts
Muhammad Nadeem Qurehsi, Vice President FPCCI said that “We need to make efforts to reverse the present trend of bilateral trade,” Turkey was well positioned to take advantage of Pakistan’s economic potential and its geostrategic location. He emphasized that some kind of understanding should be developed between private-sector representatives of both countries, which would lead to lucrative business deals for the benefit of both nations.
Mirza Abdul Rehman Chairman of Coordination FPCCI Capital Office said that despite very cordial relations, Pakistan-Turkey trade stood very below which was not encouraging and both countries should facilitate their private sectors to improve commerce. it is time to transform historically good bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkey into closer trade and economic relations.
Mr. Qurban Ali, Haji Fazal Elahi Muhammad Aslam Sheikh, Muhammad Ali Sheikh, Sajjad Sarwar, Karim Aziz Malik, Sohail Altaf Former Vice Presidents FPCCI, Parvez Khatak, Saqib Taj Abbasi, Malik Arif, Ghulam Hussan Judge, Firdousia Fazal, Sima Iqbal, Syeda Wajida Saleem, Khush Noor Didar and others members of FPCCI also addressed on this Occasion.