Pakistan, Tajikistan agree on trade-boosting roadmap

Investors eying joint ventures in energy and infrastructure projects.

DUSHANBE:

Pakistan and Tajikistan have agreed on a roadmap to promote trade and economic relations between the two countries and under the plan they will use each other as a trade corridor to export products to Asian and European countries, traders say.

Investors of the two countries have also started work on various joint investment projects, for which air services, logistics and banking links will be improved.

Trade Development Authority Chief Executive Tariq Iqbal Puri, who is leading a 100-strong delegation to Tajikistan, presented the roadmap in a meeting with Tajik authorities and representatives of the private sector, who gave their consent to the plan.

Tajikistan Prime Minister Akil Akilov assured Pakistani traders that hurdles impeding trade between the two sides would be removed soon. Addressing the Tajik-Pakistan Business Forum, he said Tajikistan was interested in establishing strong and stable economic and trade ties with Pakistan and the visit of the delegation would prove to be a milestone in promotion of bilateral relations, trade and investment.

The Tajik premier said his country was rich in mineral resources and was a developing economy. He said the two countries had held three business forums and meetings would continue in future as well. He said the feasibility report of a project to supply electricity to Pakistan through Afghanistan had been prepared and work on the project was being done at a fast pace.

During talks with Pakistan’s delegation, Tajik traders expressed keen interest in setting up joint ventures in power, infrastructure, construction and mining sectors. Besides, they were interested in trade in textile, fruits and vegetables, cement, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods and sought the removal of all hurdles coming in the way of bilateral trade.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2011.