Ambassador of Tajikistan, Jononov Sherali has called for aggressive approach to explore Tajikistan market that has a lot to offer Pakistani businessmen. He was talking to the LCCI President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad and Vice President Nasir Saeed here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday. He invited the Pakistani businessmen to explore trade & investment opportunities available in Tajikistan.
He said that tax exemptions are being offered to the foreign investors in Free Economic Zones of Tajikistan. He said that two to five years of tax holiday is being offered to the potential investors keeping in view their level of investment. To a question about the CASA-1000, Tajik Ambassador said that all legal formalities have been completed and consultation would be started next year. He said that Tajikistan wants to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties with Pakistan and is interested in importing sports and surgical goods from Pakistan.
The Ambassador said that a number of Pakistani companies dealing in pharmaceutical, agriculture and livestock sectors are doing good business in his country. He said that bilateral trade between the two countries could be flourished through exchange of trade delegations and holding of single country exhibitions. China and Iran are used to hold single country exhibitions in Tajikistan therefore, the Lahore Chamber should take lead in this regard, he added.
He said that he was ready to arrange B-2-B meetings of Pakistani businessmen in Tajikistan provided the LCCI arranges a delegation. He said that the embassy of Tajikistan in Islamabad would continue to facilitate Pakistani businessmen in getting visa on priority basis.
Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad said that the ECO (Economic Cooperation Organization) countries are well placed in terms of their economic potential and can become a major hub of trade and energy. Therefore, this regional grouping of ECO needs to be activated on the lines of EU and ASEAN, he maintained. The LCCI Vice President Nasir Saeed said that keeping in view the security concerns in Afghanistan, the businessmen have to consider other options like trading via Turkey or Russia. But these routes take away the competitive advantage of trade which compels them to look for other viable destinations. He said that a greater interaction between the Chambers of Commerce of the two countries, exchange of trade delegations, holding of single country exhibitions can increase the volume of our bilateral trade.