Islamabad: Khazar Farhadov said that Azerbaijan Airlines will also start direct flights with Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad very soon and is also considering to start direct flights to industrial and export centres of Pakistan, which would further contribute to increase bilateral trade between the two brotherly countries.
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan said direct flights between Azerbaijan and Pakistan operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had improved bilateral trade three times between the two countries in 2022. Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov stated this while exchanging views with the business community during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI), says a press release. He said that Azerbaijan and Pakistan have formed Working Groups under Joint Ministerial Commission to increase bilateral cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, trade, banking, IT, tourism, transport, energy, health and said that ICCI should cooperate in identifying companies for these workings groups so that private sectors could lead the promotion of bilateral cooperation in these sectors between the two countries.
He said that Azerbaijan under the instructions of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has given exemption from customs duty on import of rice from Pakistan, and the Pakistani business community should take benefit of this facility. Ambassador informed that 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Heydar Aliyev, the founder of the independent state of Azerbaijan. He said that the Embassy of Azerbaijan in collaboration with ICCI is planning to organise a joint event on the founding role of Heydar Aliyev in development of Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations.
Speaking at the occasion, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, president, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Pak-Azerbaijan bilateral trade is not up to the real potential of both countries and stressed for exploring new ways of increasing trade between both countries. He emphasised creating better awareness in the private sectors of both countries about each other’s markets to increase business ties. Faad Waheed, senior vice president, ICCI said that both countries should encourage regular exchange of trade delegations to explore all untapped areas of mutual cooperation.