Pakistan to participate in Astana Expo: Dastgir

Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan informed the Senate on Friday that a number of steps are being taken to enhance Pakistan's trade with Central Asian countries and an invitation has been accepted to participate in Astana Expo-2017 being held from June 10 to Sep 10, 2017 in Kazakhstan.
During the question hour, the minister said that Pakistan's exports to Central Asian countries have been doubled in the last 3 years. He said that his ministry has organised a Central Asia Trade Caravan and road shows through Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in May 2016. He told that the series of events were aimed at encouraging Pakistani businessmen and trade bodies to establish contacts with their counterparts and to create awareness in the Central Asian markets about Pakistani products.
During the 2-day event at each station, besides a large composite display of Pakistani products, stalls of 40 to 50 companies were also set up, he said. On the sidelines of the event; meetings, seminars, mango festival, fashion and cultural performances were also organised, he added.
The first ever Pakistan-Tajikistan Cultural Festival and single country exhibition by Pakistan was organised from April 7-10, 2016 in Dushanbe. Furthermore, he said that Pakistan has officially confirmed participation in Astana Expo-2017 from June 10-Sep 10, 2017 in the capital of Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Commerce through TDAP organised Pakistan-Turkmenistan Business Forum in March, 2016 on the sidelines of the visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Islamabad.
The Business Forum was followed by meetings between businessmen of the two sides. MoU between TDAP and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan was signed during Prime Minister of Pakistan's visit to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on 20-21 May, 2015.
MoU on cooperation between TDAP and its Uzbek counterpart was signed during Prime Minister of Pakistan's visit to Uzbekistan in Nov, 2015. He said that the Joint Business Council between Pakistan and the Tajikistan was set up during Tajik President's visit to Islamabad in Nov, 2015. He also stated that efforts are also being made to enter into an FTA with Eurasian Economic Union of which Kazakhstan is the only Central Asian member country. All these initiatives are likely to enhance trade between the two countries, which is far below its potential at present, he added.
The minister said that trade bodies representing the private sectors are encouraged by Ministry of Commerce and TDAP to increase interactions with the business community through exchange of delegations and participation in trade fairs. Replying a question, he rejected the impression that Pakistan is importing the Medium-Density Fiber board (MDF) sheets from Sri Lanka at higher prices, adding these are at a lower price as Pakistan is applying zero duty under the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA). Pakistan's MFN tariff for the MDF sheets is 16 percent, he said. He said that Pakistan's total imports of these products from Sri Lanka in 2015 were US$ 8.25 million.