Erdogan visits Pakistan: 'Trade volume can be increased up to $2 billion with some joint efforts'

"The visit of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to Pakistan would be a golden opportunity for both Muslim countries to enhance trade and business relations and the trade volume between Turkey and Pakistan can be increased as high as US two billion dollars with some joint efforts made by public and private sectors of two countries."

Iftikhar Ali Malik, veteran trade leader and Central Chairman United Business Group expressed these views while talking to a delegation of Turkish traders who called on him on Wednesday.

He said Turkey President Erdogan's tour to Pakistan was enough to prove that Turkey wants to strengthen its economic ties with Pakistan. He also appreciated Erdogan's efforts for safeguarding the rights of Muslim at international level. Pakistan and Turkey under the dynamic leaderships of both Prime Minister Imran Khan and Tayyip Erdogan could work together for the Muslim renaissance, he added.

He said Pakistani entrepreneurs are ready for joint ventures with their Turkish counterparts in the fields of construction, textile, information technology, carpet and plastic.

"JVs would provide Pakistani businessmen an ample opportunity to avail benefit from the expertise of Turkey in these particular sectors," he added.

He called for exchange of business delegations so that both the sides could have firsthand knowledge of the available opportunities in Pakistan and Turkey.

Iftikhar Malik said that exports have a paramount importance in Pakistan's economy as they are the main source of revenue generation (greater than 20 billion dollars) and employment creation.