Uzbekistan interested in Pakistan’s pharma products

Envoy asks LCCI to send delegation to the Central Asian state

LAHORE: Uzbekistan Ambassador Furqat Sidiqov has urged Pakistan's private sector to join hands with Uzbek businessmen in the fields of pharmaceutical, textile, fertiliser and other sectors of economy.

Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the ambassador said Uzbekistan was keen to enhance trade relations with Pakistan as both countries had great potential to cooperate with each other in diverse areas.

Terming Pakistan's pharmaceutical products competitive, he said Uzbekistan was very much interested in them. He identified tourism, agriculture, food processing, automobile, construction, chemicals, oil and gas, mining and electronics as potential areas of mutual cooperation.



He asked the LCCI to send a sector-specific delegation to Uzbekistan and assured it of complete cooperation from the embassy to make the visit successful.

LCCI President Malik Tahir Javaid said trade diplomacy was a must to strengthen mutual trade and economic relations and for that matter, the LCCI kept a close liaison with heads of foreign missions in Pakistan.

He highlighted that Pakistan and Uzbekistan had deep-rooted historical ties and both were situated in a region of great geostrategic importance.

"It is good to see that both countries collaborate closely on multilateral forums including the United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Economic Cooperation Organization and Shanghai Cooperation Organization," he added.

Javaid was of the view that the current level of bilateral trade was less than 1% of the total trade volume which hardly reflected bilateral ties, but both countries could create a win-win situation for each other.

Pakistan wanted to gain access to Central Asian markets and landlocked Uzbekistan was eager to get access to ports on the Arabian Sea, he said, adding "we believe that cooperation between the two distant neighbours is significant for political and economic well-being of the entire region."



The LCCI chief underlined the need for working together for undertaking appropriate reforms in order to facilitate trade, investment and free flow of goods and services.

"In addition to that, we should also exploit the potential of tourism available in the two countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2018.

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