Malaysian High Commissioner (HC) to Pakistan Dr Hasrul Sani Mujtabar on Thursday appealed to Pakistani businessman to use Malaysia as launching pad to penetrate into Asean market that offers huge trade and investment potential. The Malaysian HC was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). He said that Pakistanis should be more aggressive in availing the business opportunities available in Malaysia.
He said that both the countries could join hands in the areas including of tourism, construction, energy, education, agriculture, food preservation and value addition for mutual benefit. He said that both the public and private sectors in Malaysia were ready to share their expertise with Pakistan in all fields of common interest.
While calling for strengthening people-to-people contact, the HC invited Pakistani businessmen to visit Malaysia to interact with their counterparts for having firsthand knowledge about new business avenues. Dr Hasrul Sani Mujtabar also pledged that Malaysia would extend all possible support to Pakistan in attaining the status of Full Dialogue Partner in Asean. Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Sohail Lashari said that Malaysia has set a unique benchmark by way of successfully launching its own model of 'modernisation with indigenization'.
He said that Malaysia and Pakistan have already signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in January 2008, which must be utilised for a win-win situation for both the countries. He said that FTA between Pakistan and Malaysia has certainly played key role in increasing the volume of bilateral trade but somehow the gap between imports and exports should be minimised.
He said that the only way is to let more and more Pakistani products enter into Malaysian markets. In year 2012, the share of Pakistan in total trade with Malaysia was just 11 per cent against 89 per cent acquired by Malaysia. Lashari said that Pakistan wanted to have some justifiable share in trade with Malaysia. Pakistan produces good quality and affordable agricultural products. For example Pakistani rice and mangoes are great demand in Malaysian markets.
Pakistan and Malaysia can cooperate in several fields including energy, medicine, fruits and vegetables, electrical and electronics products. Joint ventures in the fields of livestock & dairy, food processing, energy, chemicals, Halal products and especially in solar panels can further strengthen the trade ties between two countries, he added.
He said that Pakistan and Malaysia are members of OIC and the Commonwealth and have excellent diplomatic relations with each other since 1957. Pakistanis are great admirer of Malaysia and look forward to emulating the footsteps of yours especially in the pursuit of economic development of Malaysia. He paid rich tributes to Dr Mahathir Mohamad who transformed the whole Malaysia. He has not only left footprints for generations to follow but also become a source of inspiration for other political and economic leaders particularly from Muslim world as to how a country can excel in any circumstances.