Africa will be connected thru Oman & Muscat: FCCI will take up issue to start trans-shipping facility

FAISALABAD: Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) will take up the issue to start a trans-shipping facility to connect Pakistan with Africa through the shortest and direct route of Oman and Muscat in order to give a quantum jump to its bilateral trade, said Dr Khurram Tariq President FCCI.

Addressing the participants of the 29th Junior Diplomatic Course from the Foreign Service Academy (FSA) Islamabad, he mentioned the “Look Africa” policy of the government and said that Pakistan would have direct access to the African countries through this trans-shipping facility. He gave a brief introduction of Faisalabad and FCCI and said that trade organizations are of two types in Pakistan.

“One is a trade specific association,” he said and added that on the other hand, chambers represent the whole trade and industry in a particular area. He said that due to its holistic nature, its voice is considered as more balanced and effective. He said that the platform of the chamber was playing its productive role in tax policy, budget formulation and other policy related matters with the ultimate objective to protect the legitimate interest of the trade and industry in general and its members in particular. He said that we have access to different committees at federal, provincial and district level and hence our voice is given due weightage. He said that it does not mean that our entire demands are accepted by the government.

About the CSR responsibilities, he said that FCCI was playing a proactive role for the uplift of Faisalabad. “Our members are aggressively contributing their role in the fields of health and education,” he said and added that any trader or industrialists could get the membership of FCCI. He said that the executive committee and different standing committees are constituted to give sector specific suggestions which are taken up at the appropriate forums. He further said that the chamber is a “not for profit organization” that provides its members access to foreign and local dignitaries in addition to getting visa recommendation letters.

“This facility is not available to the non-members,” he added. About China, he said that we have inked FTA but the balance of trade is in favour of China. Regarding Azerbaijan, Dr Khurram Tariq said that it is very near to our heart but most of the trade between two countries is on the basis of G2G. He said that Azerbaijan requires investment but it is a land locked country with a minimum population; however, it is the most preferred destination for tourism. About challenges and grievances, he said that there was no pendency of complaints at the internal level but we have problems with the government and its resolution is a continuous process. Regarding Ghana, he said that we have good relations but our trade is far below our potential. He said that the major issue is logistics as Ghana is situated in far western Africa however; he floated a proposal for the exchange of cultural delegations to foster people to people contact which may pave the way for bilateral trade in the later phase.

Responding to a question about the SME sector, he said that EXIM Bank was created to look after the financial needs of this sector but it has been again rolled out recently after its closure. “This bank would provide loans to the SME sector at comparatively less mark up rate,” he said and added that this facility was not available to the big industry. Regarding labour issues, he said that FCCI has no legal authority to enforce law but we facilitate concerned departments to implement their policies.

Dr Mariam Saeed Director Programme FSA introduced the academy and said that it was providing basic training to the local and foreign diplomats. She said that economy has become an integral part of diplomacy and hence we are also giving due importance to economic diplomacy in our courses and syllabus.

The under-training diplomats from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cuba, Fiji, Guyana, Ghana, Mali, Oman, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus introduced themselves while Senior Vice President Dr Sajjad Arshad offered a vote of thanks. Dr Khurram Tariq presented FCCI shield to Dr Mariam Saeed Director Programme of FSA who also reciprocated and gave an insignia of FSA to President FCCI. Haji Muhammad Aslam Bhalli Vice President and executive members were also present during this meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023