Pakistani businessmen invited to initiate joint ventures with Iraq

Iraqi Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Rushdi Mahmood Al-Ani has invited the Pakistani businessmen to initiate joint ventures with their Iraqi counterparts to exploit investment and business opportunities. Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), here on Friday, he said Iraq needed manpower from Pakistan to complete its projects in construction and manufacturing sector.
While seeking Pakistan's help in education, health, agriculture and engineering sectors he urged the Pakistani educationists, doctors and engineers to avail the opportunities in this oil-rich country. Dr Al-Ani informed the LCCI office bearers and executive committee members that Prime Minister Gilani would soon visit Iraq to sign a number of agreements. He urged the president LCCI to arrange a sector-specific delegation to Iraq so that the businessmen could have firsthand knowledge of business facilities being offered by the Iraqi government.
The president LCCI said that LCCI was ready to play an effective role to promote trade and economic co-operation between the two countries. He said that Pakistan was capable of exporting textile products, auto parts, marble, medicines, surgical items, footwear, edibles, wheat and rice.
He said that Pakistani construction companies, if provided proper information could make Iraq a potential market. Likewise, Iraq could benefit from cheap labour available in Pakistan. Pakistani engineers, doctors, technicians have earned good name in the world. He said the chambers of commerce and industries in Pakistan could play a very constructive role in bridging the gap of information and interaction between the businessmen of the two countries.
He said that the publishing houses in Pakistan were good enough to cater to the specific needs of the Iraqi educational system. "Our publishing set-up is making the optimum use of the enhancements in Arabic script software and you would find their workmanship to be of the required standard.
The president LCCI also offered help to the visiting diplomat in information technology tools in the development of telecommunication linkages in Iraq. "Pakistan has the required-trained human resource to develop information portals, websites according to the needs of the Iraqi government," he added.
Pakistan exports salt, stone, lime and cement, cereals, machinery, plastic products, articles of iron and steel and etc to Iraq. Whereas, plastics, fruits, milling products, starches, wheat gluten, aircraft parts, machinery and etc are imported from Iraq.