Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has announced that trade agreements are expected between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. In his speech in the opening ceremony of the Pakistan Mega Leather Show on Friday, he said, "It is difficult for us to achieve economic prosperity without increasing our trade relations with the regional countries."
In response to questions about the Indo-Pakistan trade ties, the minister linked it with the diplomatic relations with India, adding that despite the recent tension between Pakistan and India trade between both countries would continue. On achieving a sound economy, he said the economic stability is not possible without a political one and that the problem of trade deficit could only be solved by increasing exports.
On the problem being faced by exporters of sales tax refund, he said the government had issued cheques of up to Rs 27.2 billion which they would get their cash soon. He also said, "Our economy has started showing signs of improving because of the business-friendly policies of the government. The leather sector has lots of potential and leather exports have increased by 11 percent during 2013-14 as compared with 2012-13."
The minister said his government was working on a three-year new strategy policy trade frame work which would be announced this mid-year and that up to Rs 890 million export development fund for the leather sector had been approved. He also told the leather exporters to participate in the "Aalishan Pakistan" exhibition to be held in June 2015 in London. The speakers also included Trade Development Authority Chief Executive S.M. Muneer, FPCCI President Mian Muhammad Idrees and Pakistan Tanners Association Chairman Muhammad Musaddiq.