Turkish envoy for increasing trade with Pakistan

SIALKOT: Ambassador of Turkey to Pakistan Mr Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul has said that brotherly countries - Turkey and Pakistan – are enjoying quite warm and cordial bilateral relations since long but the volume of bilateral trade is just over US$ 640 million annually, which is quite contrary to the actual potential of both the countries.

Addressing the local business community at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Monday, he said that business communities of both the countries had the ability to improve the bilateral trade up to several billion dollars.

He said that his country would encourage the promotion of business-to-business relations for the benefit of both countries. He said the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan would visit Pakistan in the current year and his visit would further solidify the economic and strategic ties of both the countries.

The Turkish envoy said that many Turkish companies had more than a billion US dollar worth investments in Pakistan which would further boost in the future. He invited the local investors to come forward and gain huge economic benefits by investing in the lucrative property sector of Turkey.

He opined that both countries could also get huge monitory benefits by promoting their tourism sectors. “Pakistan is an important country in the region with a huge young population and a considerable grower of wheat, rice, mangoes and many other products.”

Mr Yurdakul said that the recent clear stance of Turkey during the escalation between Pakistan and India, was an open proof of its unique and strong ties with Pakistan. The Honorary Consular of Turkey in Sialkot, Rashid Mansoor Baig, SCCI senior vice president Malik Waqas Akram, Mian Naeem Javed, Ejaz Khokhar, Sarfraz Butt, M Waseem, Chaudhry Ejaz and others were also present on the occasion.

The Turkish ambassador also visited the Sialkot International Airport and had a meeting with its directors to discuss matters of mutual interest.