KARACHI: The Turkish delegation, led by Cemal Sangu, Consul General of Turkiye in Karachi, along with Eyyup Yildirim Commercial Counsellor, visited Bin Qasim Association and met with the Managing Committee of Bin Qasim Association of Trade & Industry (BQATI), leading businessman and PQA officials.
Türkiye Consul General Cemal Sangu was welcomed by A Rasheed Janmohammad, President BQATI, along with Ellahi Buksh, Immediate Past President BQATI, Shakil Ashfaq, Former President and member of the Managing Committee BQATI, Amin Dawood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Naveed Shakoor and Imran Panawala.
While opening the meeting Mian Muhammad Ahmed, the Patron-in-Chief and Founder President of BQATI extended a warm welcome, expressed gratitude for his visit to the BQATI and acknowledged the trade between the two countries
During the meeting, A Rasheed Janmohammad, President of BQATI, delivered a presentation providing an overview of the Bin Qasim Association and specifically highlighted the significance of Port Qasim. He also emphasized the trade relations between Pakistan and Turkey.
A Rasheed Janmohammad recognized the immense potential for further expansion of bilateral trade and investment opportunities in between the countries, he added that There is huge potential for joint ventures and investment in the areas of Islamic Finance, halal food, energy, low-cost housing, infrastructure development, telecommunications, and education.
President BQATI stated that Türkiye has a protective textile duty structure, which has restricted Pakistan’s trade & exports. This should be reduced in a bid to improve bilateral textile trade volume & further deepen bilateral economic relations.
On the occasion Ilahi Buksh Immediate Past President briefed about the potential of the export of fish meal and fish products from Pakistan, emphasizing their usage in animal feed, he added that Pakistan, with its extensive coastline, has great potential for fish and shrimp farming, stating that Vietnam, a major player in fish exports, is already exporting fish worth 10 billion dollars to the world.
We seek Turkey’s expertise and investment in fish farming in Pakistan, with the aim of capitalizing on the opportunity to export fish meal to Turkey, as we are currently doing with China.
The Consul General expressed the view that Pakistan is considered a brotherly country, as there are many similarities between us. Urdu, for instance, shares numerous words with the Turkish language, and we have historical connections as well.
The Consul General highlighted that the first Consul General was stationed in Karachi in 1885 and mentioned the significance of Sindh Madressa ul Islam Karachi and Hasan Ali Effendi.
Furthermore, the Consul General informed the audience that phrases like “Jevay Jevay Pakistan” and “Pakistan Zindabad” are familiar and widely recognized among Turks, as every Turkish child knows about the special bond between our two countries.
Despite the current trade volume between our nations standing at a mere 1.3 billion USD, the Consul General expressed a desire to enhance and facilitate Pakistan’s exports, emphasizing the need for bilateral meetings.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023