SCCI, Uzbek envoy agree to hold trade exhibitions to boost trade ties

PESHAWAR: President Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Muhammad Ishaq and Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Pakistan Aybek Arif Usmanov have agreed to organise trade exhibitions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Republic of Uzbekistan to further strengthen Pak-Uzbek bilateral trade relations.

The agreement was reached during a meeting of the SCCI delegation led by its president Muhamamd Ishaq with Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Pakistan Aybek Arif Usmanov at the embassy in Islamabad, said a press release issued here on Saturday.

The SCCI delegation comprised senior vice president Shahid Hussain, former president Sherbaz Bilour, former vice presidents Junaid Altaf, Haris Mufti and Naeem ur Rehman. Uzbekistan Commercial Consular in Islamabad, Bahraam Yusupnov, was also present in the meeting.

Muhammad Ishaq while speaking on the occasion informed that a concrete mechanism would be devised under the chamber plan to improve Pak-Uzbek bilateral trade relations, by bringing business community of the two countries closer to each other, removal of trade barriers, taking common benefits from experiences and expertise and crossing border facility to citizens and travelers.

“Our plan would play a vital role in boosting up bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan,” the SCCI chief claimed.

He elaborated business to business meetings, trade exhibitions, exploiting potentials of the both countries, experiences and expertise are part of our holistic programme.

Speaking about impediments in bilateral trade, Shahid Hussain said transit charges on coal importing from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan via Afghanistan have been increased by $50-55 per ton from previous $8-11per ton, which has negatively impacted on the mutual trade between the two countries.

Aybek Arif Usmanov, while responding to SCCI president proposals, said that his country gave importance to enhance bilateral trade and economic ties with Pakistan, and was keenly taking steps in this regard.

Huge opportunities and potentials are available to further strengthen mutual trade and economic relations with Pakistan, the envoy noted.

He, however, emphasised that it was essential that both governments should take pragmatic steps to remove all hurdles in the way of mutual trade. The diplomat stressed that serious steps were direly needed to resolve the business community issues of the two countries.