President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz has stressed the need for further cementing trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Iran.
'Islamabad and Tehran should bring relaxation in their policies, revision in tariffs and to make joint efforts to remove potential bottlenecks coming in the way of bilateral trade,' SCCI chief said this during a meeting with Iranian Consul General in Peshawar, Muhammad Bagher Beigi at the chamber house on Tuesday.
Shahid Hussain, Senior Vice President of the chamber, executive committee members Ihsanullah, Shams ur Rahim, Mujeebur Rehman, Altaf Baig, Iranian Deputy Consul General in Peshawar, Syed Ebraheem Dehandi, Protocol Officer Imtiaz Ali, members of business community were present in the meeting.
Maqsood Pervaiz said the bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and Iran stood at less than US one billion dollars, which have potential to further enhance by removal of non-tariffs barriers, reduction in duties, freights, and exchange of business delegation, launch of joint business ventures and revision in policies on both sides.
He suggested the establishment of joint chamber between Pakistan and Iran. He also invited the Iranian businessmen to make investment in various sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
SCCI chief termed the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project a milestone initiative between the two countries, which would ensure supply of 1000MW electricity to Pakistan that will usher a new era industrialization, economic prosperity and development in the country.
Bagher Beigi said that the lack of banking channel between Iran and Pakistan is the major hurdle to give boost to the bilateral trade between two brotherly Islamic countries.
He said the both countries had made commitments to enhance mutual trade, but satisfactory steps were yet not taken in this regard.
The diplomat said the both countries will soon fulfill their joint commitments to strengthen the mutual trade. He said Iran-Pakistan have potentials to enhance bilateral trade up to US 5 billion dollars.
He asked the Pakistanis investors, especially KP business community to take full benefits from incentive, which were given by his country to foreign investors and make investment in potentials sectors in Iran. He informed that Iran joint economic commission is working to review the tariffs with Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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