Pak-Tajik Trade & Cultural Festival starts from April 7 in Dushanbe
Sher Ali Saturday said that four-day long Pak-Tajik Trade & Cultural Festival 2016 being started from April 7 in Dushanbe was a unique opportunity for Pakistani businessmen to make their trade and economic ties stronger with their Tajik counterparts besides exploring a huge market.
He was talking to the LCCI Senior Vice President Almas Hyder and Vice President Nasir Saeed here at Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Cultural & Commercial Attache Marufjon Abdurahmonov were also present.
Tajik Ambassador said Pakistani businessmen from textile, construction, building material, home appliances,furniture,general machinery, agricultural products, health care products, food products,Information Technology, sports items, leather goods,fashion, home decoration, printing, packaging and tourism sector should be part of Pak-Tajik Trade and Cultural Festival 2016.
Ambassador of Tajikistan to Pakistan Sher Ali said that Tajikistan was keen to further strengthen trade and economic ties with Pakistan. Private sectors of both sides should work hand in hand to tap huge potential existed in Tajikistan and Pakistan.
He said that a number of Pakistani companies belonging to pharmaceutical, textile, agriculture and livestock sectors were doing good business. He said that a greater interaction between the Chambers of Commerce of the two countries, exchange of trade delegations, holding of single country exhibitions could increase the volume of bilateral trade.
He said China and Iran were used to hold single country exhibitions in Tajikistan therefore, Lahore Chamber of Commerce should take lead in this regard. He said that he was ready to arrange B-2-B meetings of Pakistani businessmen in Tajikistan provided the LCCI arranges a delegation. Embassy of Tajikistan in Islamabad, he assured, would continue to facilitate Pakistani businessmen in getting visa on priority basis.
He said both Pakistan and Tajikistan have good diplomatic relations and enjoy historical bonds of brotherhood but these ties are hardly reflected in two way trade. He added that with the implementation of CASA 1000 which was an important project of World Bank, a new era of economic cooperation would take place and this would also lead to lay foundation for greater trade between two countries. Both governments were working on Preferential Trade Agreement, meeting had been conducted from both sides and “We will reach on a result very soon. The desired results largely depend on the need for enhanced connectivity by air, road and rail and for facilitating travel, transit, transportation and tourism.”
He said that Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan which was presently at early stage had the potential to bring these countries much close to each other. He said that this agreement could go a long way in establishing a Common Transport Corridor in the region which would enhance regional trade and investment greatly and attract foreign investors due to its lucrative economic potential.
The LCCI Senior Vice President Almas Hyder said that both Pakistan and Tajikistan had good diplomatic relations and enjoy historical bonds of brotherhood but some serious efforts are required to get these ties truly reflected in two way trade.
He said that a lot about the untapped trade potential available in Central Asian Republics. It was a matter fact that so far this potential had been exploited not even equal to tip of iceberg. In 2013, the value of total exports of Pakistan to Tajikistan was dollar 10.3 million which contracted to dollar 9.1 million in 2014. There was even more disappointing scenario in imports made from Tajikistan to Pakistan which was just dollar 6.2 million in 2010 and descended to almost nothing in years to come.
Almas Hyder said that with the completion of China Pakistan Economic Corridor project, there would be new avenues of trade and investment for Central Asian Republics. In addition to that Wakhan Corridor could also be utilized for that purpose as it further shortens the trade route and reduces lead time.
He said it was good to know that for making it a reality, the important framework of CASA-1000 had already been put in place by all four countries – Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. “However, we should accelerate efforts for timely completion of CASA-1,000 transmission line so that Pakistan could be able to obtain additional 1300 MW electricity,” he maintained.
The LCCI Vice President Nasir Saeed said that Pakistan was already exporting sugar, dairy products, confectionery items and pharmaceutical products etc. “We need to increase business-to-business contacts and also focus on trade facilitation in order to give boost to two way trade. We expect that working relations between Tajik Embassy and LCCI will certainly contribute in improving the situation,” he concluded.
