A 30-member Pakistani delegation headed by Chairman Trade Development Authority of Pakistan will attend a meeting of the Malaysian and Pakistani chapters of the Joint Business Council (JBC) in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (today).
The JBC was set up a year ago to facilitate business networking and joint ventures in a host of sectors offering attractive returns following the implementation of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and Malaysia in 2008.
Pakistan High Commission to Malaysia told Business Recorder through an E-mail on Sunday that Deputy Minister for International Trade and Investment of Malaysia, Dato' Mukhriz Mahathir would also attend and address the JBC meeting as the 'Guest of Honour' while Datuk Salim Bin Fateh Din, Chairman Malaysia-Pakistan Business Council and Bashir Jan Muhammad, Chairman Pakistan-Malaysia Business Council, would lead their respective businessmen/ entrepreneurs in the meeting of Pakistan Malaysia Business & Investment Forum being held on Tuesday (tomorrow).
It said the forum was being jointly hosted by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) to promote business match making and identify key areas for economic co-operation and joint ventures, especially in textile & clothing, rice, fruits and vegetables, sea food, leather and leather products and electronics.
It may be mentioned here that a similar forum was held in Kuala Lumpur six month ago, which drew a crowd of 120 businessmen and entrepreneurs from the two countries.
Minister for International Trade & Industry (MITI) of Malaysia YB Dato' Sri Mustapa Mohamed will chair the inaugural session of the forum. Tariq Iqbal Puri, Chairman of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Dato' Mohd Nasir Ahmad, President of MIA, and Masood Khalid, Pakistan's High Commissioner to Malaysia will also address the participants.
The Pakistani delegation has also been scheduled to hold a series of one-on-one meetings with key Malaysian government officials and ministers, including Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Malaysia Datuk Seri Noh Bin Omar, Minister for Plantation, Industries and Commodities, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, MITI Deputy Minister Dato' Mukhriz Mahatir and various heads of government and business institutions and trade bodies.
Commenting on the upcoming Pakistan Malaysia Business & Investment Forum and the JBC meeting, Pakistan High Commissioner Masood Khalid said around 150 businessmen and captains of industry from both sides had already confirmed their participation in the forum while a 30-member business delegation from Pakistan would also attend the event to explore possibilities for joint ventures in a number of sectors, including rice, seafood, leather and leather products, dairy and livestock, surgical and medical instruments, textiles & garments, fruits and vegetables, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, sports goods, housing & construction, education and halal food.
The High Commissioner hoped a successful organisation of the forum and the JBC meeting would help spur up an already burgeoning bilateral trade which crossed $2.5 billion mark last year, reflecting an upward trajectory in commercial co-operation following the operationalisation of FTA. Pakistan's exports to Malaysia have also risen considerably in recent months, registering an impressive 56.16 per cent increase, according to trade figures available as of November 2011.
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