ISLAMABAD, Jan 4 (APP):SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Senior Vice President Iftikhar Ali Malik Friday expressing the hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s tour to Turkey will not only help Pakistan to boost its export besides exploring new trade potential between both the countries, made calls for economic cooperation within the Islamic bloc owing to challenges confronting individual and regional economies.In a statement issued here, Iftikhar Malik said improved cooperation and coordination between Muslim countries can increase multilateral trade by 25%,” adding that this would require establishing trade preferential systems and other legal frameworks along with effective mobilisation of financial and infrastructure support.
He further said currently, trade amongst Muslim countries accounts for six percent of global trade and only 19% of the total trade of these countries.
Highlighting the importance of trade and cultural relation with Turkey, Iftikhar Malik said “Pakistan and Turkey are tied in bonds of common religion, culture and history. Pakistan highly values its relations with Turkey, and this is good omen for Pakistan that the government under dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to further strengthen relations between Islamabad and Ankara.
He said at this juncture, we are able to build on the historic relationship by encouraging investors on both sides to make use of the business and cooperation opportunities. He also proposed having a dialogue with the business community in both the countries and make room for having more agreements to launch new initiatives.
He said Turkey is invited to invest in the mega-project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as it will be beneficial for both the countries.
He said it would connect those parts of the world which had been no or less connectivity, adding that the issue of huge distance impeding Pak-Turkish trade would also be resolved. “The economic corridor will not only provide China with cheaper access to Africa and the Middle East but will also earn Pakistan billions of dollars for providing transit facilities to the world’s second-largest economy,” he added.
Iftikhar Malik made it clear that Pakistan should take steps in direction of minimizing trade deficit between both the countries and focus on those items which would be exported to this brotherly Islamic country.
Appreciating Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sincere efforts to increase Pakistan’s export besides steering the country out of the current fiscal crisis, he said the whole nation is standing with the Prime Minister at this crucial time and the business community will support Imran Khan in his economic initiatives.
He said entire business community had already reposed full confidence on the top leadership of PTI led government committed to quick uplift of the down trodden besides facilitating the traders for addressing their all genuine grievances on top priority.