Three-day 'Made in Pakistan' exhibition arranged by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has started on Thursday and a large number of people from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan visited the stalls displaying products of as many as 38 Pakistani companies. According to a LCCI's spokesman, Kosim Rahbarovich Kosimov, Governor of Sugd Region, Tajikistan and Member Parliament inaugurated the exhibition.
Pakistan Ambassador to Tajikistan Ikram Ullah Mehsood along with LCCI Senior Vice President Soahil Lashari and Mayor Khujand Olim Talov were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Soahil Lashari said that both countries should share their expertise, as Pakistan has developed textile sector and it may help in this regard while Tajikistan could export its raw and semi finished goods to Pakistan, especially oilseed and aluminium.
He further said that Pakistan could help Tajikistan develop its aluminium industry too. He hoped that the exhibition would help tap the export potential of Pakistani products in the Central Asian region to an optimal level. However, Lashari regretted that Pakistan's export to Tajikistan were just two million dollars against Iran's 90 million dollars.
"Holding single country exhibition could help promote the volume of Pakistani exports to Tajikistan to the level of 50 million dollars within a couple of years," he added.
The Pakistan ambassador to Tajikistan underlined the need for enhancing bilateral trade relations. He said that both countries have centuries old relations and this might be a milestone to improve these relations. "Pakistani products were higher in quality and competitive in prices, therefore once the road links were restored, Pakistan would have no competitor in the market," he added.
Kosim Rahbarovich Kosimov said that people to people interaction was a must to improve the relations. He said that Pakistani businessmen should have advantage of strategic location and exploit their short destination to this country.