Pakistan has signed and ratified the TIR Convention of ECO but the success of TIR Convention depends on visa sticker and white card schemes. This was stated by Khalid Tawab, Senior Vice President FPCCI in a meeting with the Consul General of Turkey who visited FPCCI, along with the Commercial Attache. The meeting was also attended by Arshad Farooq, Zulfiqar Sheikh, Vice Presidents of FPCCI, Abdul Rashid Abro, Chairman, Pakistan - Turkey Business Council of FPCCI, Mehar Alam Khan, Acting Secretary General and Professor Dr Ayub Mehar, Director General FPCCI and Economic Advisor to ECO-CCI.
Khalid Tawab said that the Visa Sticker Scheme and White Card Scheme like functioning in SAARC region is the need of hour to make successful implementation of TIR Convention in ECO region. He further said that the bilateral trade between Pakistan and Turkey should further be improved and strengthened and highlighted the service sector and fisheries to explore and expend the bilateral trade.
He also pointed out that Pakistan has already opened commercial bank branches in Turkey for the facilitation of private sector both in Turkey and Pakistan as well. He said that the stressed on the need of Turkish bank in Pakistan for enhancement of bilateral trade activities.
Abdul Rashid Abro, Chairman, Pakistan - Turkey Business Council of FPCCI who also the convenor of Specialised Committee on Transportation of ECO-CCI (Pakistan Chapter) informed that both schemes have been proposed and under consideration in the concerned quarters of ECO region. The ECO-CCI Secretariat in Pakistan is pursuing the matter with them and it will also be discussed in the forthcoming Executive Committee Meeting of ECO-CCI scheduled to be held in the month of August at Tehran this year. The Consul General Murat Mustafa Onart said that Pakistan and Turkey are the founder members of Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) which is the extended form of RCD of two decades back. He said that both countries are playing active and pivotal role in development of trade and economic activities in ECO region.
He further said that Turkey is supporting Pakistan in ECO platform. He further said that ECO is most active in promotion of economic cooperation and enhancement of bilateral trade and it is now moving from ECOTA towards FTA which will certainly increase the trade activities in ECO region. The Turkish Consul General further said that Pakistan and Turkey are also the members of D-8 and the Chairmanship of D-8 will be shifted to Turkey next year. He assured that Turkey will continue to support Pakistan on D-8 Forum.-PR