Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan to enhance political and trade relations

An 8-member Kyrgyz parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker People's Representative Assembly of Kyrgyzstan, Borubaev Altai Asylkanovich met Federal Minister for Commerce Humayun Akhtar Khan.
During the meeting both sides agreed to enhance political and trade relations. The Kyrgyz Speaker offered co-operation in hydropower sector.
He told the minister that Kyrgyzstan has tremendous capacity for producing electricity and presently it was not utilising full capacity because of extra production.
He showed interest on behalf of his country in selling electricity to Pakistan. Borubaev also expressed his interest in co-operation in banking and education sector.
He also proposed to start flights between the two capitals of two countries Bishkek and Islamabad to facilitate trade and people-to-people contact.
Humayun Akhtar Khan told the delegation that Pakistan has tremendous scope of trade in pharmaceutical and textile sectors with Kyrgyzstan. He informed the delegation that Pakistan can offer its expertise to Kyrgyzstan in textile and health sectors.
He said that the quadrilateral agreement signed by Pakistan, China, Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan is expected to give boost to the trading activities among the member-countries through Karakuram Highway (KKH).
Humayun emphasised to expedite completion of the land route from Bishkek to Karachi and vice versa through Xinjiang Province of China.
The minister said that Kyrgyz Republic might consider joining the ECO trade agreement (ECOTA) and protocol on preferential tariffs, which envisaged 10 per cent tariff reduction on the agreed lists of items.
Khan said that the two countries have already signed an agreement on trade and economic ties in 1994, which could be used for development of trade and economic relations between Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.
The agreement envisages grant of most favoured nation (MFN) treatment to each other and conducting trade in convertible currency. Humayun emphasised on exchange of delegations, trade related information and participation in exhibitions bilaterally.
Both the sides agreed to increase trade and economic co-operation in future. The Kyrgyz Speaker also extended invitation to Commerce Minister to visit his country so that further opportunities in boosting bilateral economic relations might be explored.