SIALKOT City News

Sudan keen to improve trade ties with Pakistan: envoy

From Our Correspondent

SIALKOT: Sudanese Ambassador Ahmed Abdel Rehman Mohammad has said that strengthening of bilateral trade ties not only between Pakistan and Sudan but also between the chambers of commerce of both the nations is his priority.

Addressing exporters and industrialists at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here on Saturday, he said that Pakistan had always been an important friend of Sudan as it was the very first country, which had recognised Sudan after its independence in 1956. During the crisis of Darfur in the recent past, Pakistan had extended its full support to Sudan against enormous pressure from the United States and its western allies, the envoy added.

He said that like Balochistan, Darfur was also full of natural resources, including oil, gold, uranium and iron. He, however, said that the selfish western powers were responsible for causing anarchy and unrest in that region of Sudan to exploit its resources. Despite close relations since long, the bilateral trade between Sudan and Pakistan was as low as US $15 million annually against the annual trade with India worth about US $1.5 billion. He termed Sudan as the hub of trade in Africa and invited the local traders, exporters and investors to come forward and explore new African markets for their quality products, besides enjoying lucrative business opportunities in Sudan. He said that there was zero rated tax in Sudan for the investors in the agricultural sector and further viewed that by promoting their agricultural sectors, Sudan and Pakistan could easily feed the entire Muslim world for a long period.

Ahmed Abdel Rehman said that there were a number of treaties and MoUs signed between both the countries, but due to certain problems faced by both the nations, they had not been materialised so far. He said that the dynamic city of Sialkot had a leading role in the growth of exports in Pakistan and Sudanese would certainly prefer to learn from their experiences.

SCCI senior vice-president Sarfraz Butt, Khawaja Masood, Asim Shafiq Sulehria, Malik Naseer, Mian Hamza Janjua, Pervez Khan, Mohsin Gull and others were also present on the occasion.