Ways, means of increasing Pak-Kyrgyz trade volume discussed

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, Aibek Artykbaev on Friday called on Federal Minister for Commerce & Investment Syed Naveed Qamar.

The meeting which was held in the Minister’s Office was attended by Special Secretary Commerce Dr Ahmed Mujtaba Memon and Additional Secretary, Syed Hamad Ali.

During the meeting, both sides discussed ways and means on increasing trade volume between the two countries and enhancing cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.

The minister said that promoting international trade, transit and investment was the pivot around which Pakistan sought to devise its economic policies.

Naveed Qamar expressed stated that government’s vision was to make Pakistan a trade, transit and transshipment hub ensuring connectivity with Afghanistan and beyond. In this regard, Pakistan had signed transit trade agreement with Uzbekistan, and were negotiating Transit Trade Agreement with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, he added.

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan remained at $4.27 million during fiscal year 2021-22 which did not reflect the true potential of trade between the two countries, the minister opined.

The Commerce Minister said Pak-Kyrgyzstan Trade and Investment Forum was held from April 19-20, 2022 in Islamabad and April 22, in Lahore and desired that such activities should be held on regular basis in future.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022