Minister, Australian diplomat discuss ways to enhance trade volume

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Commerce, Syed Naveed Qamar on Wednesday held a meeting with Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Neil Hawkins and discussed ways and means to enhance bilateral trade volume to its true potential.

The meeting was held in the minister’s chamber in the Parliament House in which Additional Secretary Commerce Ahsan Ali Mangi and Joint Secretary Dr Adnan Ahmed were also present.

Syed Naveed Qamar remarked that bilateral trade between Australia and Pakistan had not achieved its potential and Pakistan’s exports to Australia had remained stagnant over the years. The minister emphasised the tariff differential faced by Pakistani exporters due to Pakistan’s “Developing Country Status” in Australian System of Tariff Preferences (ASTP) as compared to its competitors.

Qamar also urged collaboration through Transfer of Technology in developing food processing, dairy and cattle industry.

The Australian high commissioner agreed with the minister’s point of view to enhance bilateral trade especially in the field of agriculture, textile and tourism. Both sides also discussed the possibility of preferential market access under formal arrangements like PTA/FTA with Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023