Efforts on to raise Turco-Pak trade volume: Consul General

Steps are being taken to enhance the volume of bilateral trade between the brotherly countries of Turkey and Pakistan. This was stated by Consul General of Turkey in Karachi M. Hayati Soysal in an interview with APP on Wednesday. He pointed out that the bilateral trade volume at present is to the tune of 400 million dollars.
"This is not up to our expectations keeping in new the potential that exists and the close friendly ties between our two countries.," he added.
He pointed out that the trade target that has been set by our two prime ministers is two billion dollars annually. Therefore, Hayati Soysal added, "a lot of work needs to be done in this respect by both the sides."
He said: "The groundwork is ready in this connection and the bilateral and other agreements have been signed."
"Now it is the turn of the business community to help meet the target,"he remarked adding that it is the age of private sector and they will have to play a major role in improving the trade ties between our two countries.
Hayati Soysal informed that a delegation of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, which is on a visit to Pakistan, met chairman of Export Promotion Bureau Tariq Ikram.
He said: "Both the sides checked the items, which are being imported by our two countries and that a list would be made to export and import from one another if the same are being produced by Pakistan and Turkey."
The Turkish diplomat said that it was also agreed that Pakistan would hold a single country exhibition in Turkey in September next year in Istanbul. Final dates are yet to be determined.
It will not just be a trade exhibition and will be marked as 'Pakistan days in Turkey' and both trade and cultural activities as well as conferences would be organised during the period.
The Turkish consul general said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the visiting delegation of Istanbul Chamber.
This, he said, was aimed at enhancing further the trade relations between these two Chambers.
Hayati Soysal was of the view that an obstacle in promoting the trade activities between our two countries pertained to the transportation of goods. He said that some appropriate steps were required to be taken to remove such a hindrance.
He was of the view that the transportation of goods by sea takes time and as such 'we should establish direct shipping lines between Karachi and Istanbul'.