Tajikistan wants to take bilateral trade with Pakistan to $500m

Delegation seeks cooperation in areas of trade, energy and furniture

ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan investors and businessmen have expressed interest in taking advantage of incentives offered by Prime Minister Imran Khan, which will help the two countries take bilateral trade to $500 million per annum.

Leading a delegation to a visit to the Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC), Union of Private Sector Development of Tajikistan Chairman Radzhabov Fayzali Kurbonalievich expressed the desire to promote trade with Pakistan.

“Both countries have a huge potential to enhance trade, joint ventures and investment in different fields,” he said. The delegation leader emphasised that the aim of the visit was to explore new vistas of investment besides giving a fresh impetus to bilateral ties through enhanced cooperation in diverse areas including trade, energy and furniture.

He urged Pakistani business community to be more proactive in promoting business relations with their Tajik counterparts as both the nations had massive potential for mutual cooperation.

Emphasising that Pakistan could export many products to Tajikistan including furniture, sugar, textile and cement, Kurbonalievich asked Pakistani exporters to step up efforts in order to cash in on the opportunities.

“Investors from China and other countries are taking active part in the Tajikistan market,” he said, insisting Pakistani investors should also focus on Tajikistan in a bid to gain easy access to the huge market of Central Asia.

Welcoming the delegation, PFC Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq noted that Tajikistan was a gateway for Central Asia. Ashfaq said Pakistan’s furniture industry possessed the potential to dominate global markets with its innovative furniture designs. “We can take it to new heights after joining hands with our Tajik counterparts,” he voiced hope.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2019.

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