Pakistan playing key role in supporting Saarc trade: SCCI

ISLAMABAD: Suraj Vaidya, president SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), on Monday underscored that Pakistan’s support for boosting of trade, investment, and business among the member countries was of key importance.

“Pakistan has been instrument in strengthening regional cooperation under the SAARC process,” Vadiya said while talking to media persons before leaving for Nepal, his native country, after a completing a week-long visit to Pakistan.

“The SCCI is firmly committed to continue all-out efforts for increasing the role of SAARC in the region.”

Replying to a question, the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry president said his meeting with Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, the federal minister for commerce and textile, has been fruitful and result-oriented.

“The minister had assured us of his full cooperation for improving regional trade and investment,” he said adding, ”Malik also informed us that Pakistan is in the process of consulting its stakeholders for preparing a separate shorter sensitive list for the least developed countries of Saarc.”

On his meeting with Sartaj Aziz, the deputy chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan, Vaidya said he was honoured to get a chance to learn about the veteran economist’s life-long expertise in the field of planning of new development projects in the region.

“The Saarc chamber will certainly utilise the experience of Pakistan’s planning commission to launch new industrial joint ventures and development-oriented projects,” Vaidya said.

He reflected that at the moment South Asia was mired in several crises and conflicts due to various unresolved political and geographical issues.

“These issues could be resolved effectively through strong regional connectivity and business to business contacts,” he added.

He further said Pakistan’s improved law and order situation has helped the country in attracting fresh foreign investment.

“It is giving a renewed boost to trade activities in Pakistan and will lead to more regional trade cooperation among the member countries,” he said.

Glorifying the role of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Vaidya said being an energy deficient region South Asia could make the most of it by exploiting Central Asia’s huge gas and oil resources to fuel their economies.

“The economic corridor will connect China to the world and will have a significant impact on the regional economies,” he said.

Iftikhar Ali Malik, VP SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who was also present on the occasion, urged the governments of the member states to expedite the process of trade liberalisation in South Asian region.

“The cooperation in member states will help promote trade and improve quality of life of our people, who accounted for 1/5th of the world’s population,” Malik said.