LAHORE: Ambassador of Tajikistan to Pakistan Ismatullo Naserdin on Wednesday stressed the need for enhanced trade between Tajikistan and Pakistan.
Talking to the business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), he said trade between the two countries was limited to a few commodities only.
He said direct flights between Tajikistan and Pakistan could save travelling time and help improve mutual trade.
Inviting Pakistani businessmen to invest in Tajikistan, Naserdin said his country had four Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and one of them was near to Afghan border.
He said those SEZs offered lots of facilities for investors, asserting that Tajikistan also had the cheapest and sufficient electricity.
He mentioned the textile sector of Tajikistan that had vast opportunities for the investors.
The Ambassador said last year almost 47,000 Pakistani tourists visited Azerbaijan, but only a few thousands visited Tajikistan, adding both countries should step into joint ventures in tourism sector as well.
Speaking on this occasion, LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said efforts were required to transform cordial and brotherly relations into two-way trade for enhancing economic prosperity in both countries.
“If effective measures are taken, the bilateral trade volume can be enhanced to $500 million dollars. Currently, Pakistan’s exports to Tajikistan are dominated by sugar related products while the imports comprise primarily of cotton,” he said.
The potential areas where Pakistan and Tajikistan could enhance trade and economic ties were hydropower generation, halal meat, cement, pharmaceutical products, furniture, rice and LPG, he told the Ambassador.
The LCCI president said with the completion of CPEC project, there would be new avenues of trade and investment for both the countries.
In addition, Wakhan Corridor could also be utilized for that purpose as it further shortened the trade route and reduces lead time, Sheikh suggested.
