Malaysian HC signals bilateral trade expansion

The Malaysian high commissioner has signalled the bilateral trade expansion and claimed Pakistan "is a strong potential market". Hasrul Sani Mujtabar, talking to Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries Senior Vice President Almas Hyder and Vice President Nasir Saeed, urged Pakistani businessmen to be more aggressive in terms of business activities in Malaysia to compete with other competitive markets in this era of globalisation.
He advised the Pakistani business community to actively participate in international conventions scheduled to be held in Malaysia in the forthcoming months. "Doing business in a country, such as in Pakistan, is always very profitable," the diplomat added. Senior Vice President Hyder said, "Malaysia has set a unique benchmark by way of successfully launching its own model of modernisation with indigenisation. The technological base of Malaysia is strong and this is because of enhancing the quality of technical and vocational education. Malaysia and Pakistan signed a Free-Trade Agreement in January 2008 but it has yet to prove useful to both of us. We already have the platform which must be utilised for a win-win situation." About declining the trade trend between the two countries, Senior Vice President Hyder said, "We need to take immediate steps to regain that level of bilateral which went as high as $2.97 billion in 2011. In 2014, the level of bilateral trade further dipped to $1.51 billion from $2.12 billion in 2013. The balance of trade has been in favour of Malaysia and over the past five years this gap has constantly been closing."
He also urged the diplomat to play an active role to encourage his country's investors to consider Pakistan as a safe destination for investment. "Joint ventures in livestock and dairy, food processing, energy, chemicals, Halal products and especially in solar panels can further strengthen the trade ties between two countries," he added. Vice President Saeed then told the diplomat to help visas facilities on the Lahore Chamber recommendation and urged Malaysian firms to participate in the third Expo Lahore which is to begin between April 8 and 10 at the Expo Centre in Lahore.