Pakistan, Belarus look to deepen partnership

Commerce minister says preferential trade agreement should be reached

LAHORE: The Pak-Belarus Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) opened its second session to discuss ways and means to further enhance bilateral trade volume and improve economic cooperation.

The two-day meeting was co-chaired by Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan and Republic of Belarus Minister of Industry Vitaly Vovk. It was attended by Belarus Ambassador in Pakistan, Consular, Head of South Asia Affairs Section, Pakistan’s Economic Affair Division Secretary Tariq Bajwa and other relevant authorities from both sides.



Speaking at the meeting, Dastgir said that Pakistan values relations with Belarus and is committed to enhance them.

“Political-economic relations between Pakistan and Belarus have witnessed a boost during the last two years, particularly in 2015 following three high-level exchanges between the two countries, as about 68 MoUs and agreements have been signed during these visits,” said Dastgir.

The minister said that both countries have tremendous scope to improve trade in various sectors and asserted that it would improve political and economic relations.

Dastagir stressed the need for JMC’s discussion on finding ways for removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers and working on opening both countries’ bank branches for facilitating business transactions.



He said Pakistan wanted to establish a preferential trade regime with Belarus through a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), and urged Vovk to garner support amongst the member countries for an FTA with EEU. APP

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2016.

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