KARACHI: The representatives of industrial and trade bodies urged registered members besides other industrial units and exporters to enhance exports of traditional and non-traditional products.
“This will increase amount of foreign exchange earnings besides we could compete with our neighbouring countries in well manner,” they said.
Pakistan is gateway to three important economic blocks of countries – namely Iran-Turkey, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries and the break-up states of the former Soviet Union – with Karachi providing access to traders to bring the goods into the country.
Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) Senior Executive Member Agha Saiddain said that by increasing the trade and economic activities with other business partners, the country could prosper on a sustainable basis.
Pakistan Yarn Merchant Association Senior Member Ghulam Rabbani said that authorities should invite investors to come and spend in various fields of the country.
Certain American and international rules and regulations based on quotas allow Pakistan less shares of trade thanwhat the country deserves –by being a resourceful marketwith large consumers, he added.
There is a dire need for better use of Port Qasim into a free trade and green zone that would promote shipping and trading activities manifold – on which the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Houston Karachi Sister City Association (HKSCA) are engaged in, said KCCI Senior Member Sanaullah Khan. Better bilateral trade relations between Karachi and Houston are in Pakistan as well as in the interest of USA, he added.
US is currently the largest trade partner of Pakistan – with the balance of trade in favour of Pakistan – and several US companies have invested in a variety of sectors of the country’s economy.
Keeping in view that Pakistan is the 4th largest country in the world – in terms of English speaking population – and the 6th largest country – in terms of population – the business community of the United States will certainly benefit by investing or undertaking joint ventures in Pakistan, the KCCI member said.
