Turkmenistan keen to explore new trade avenues
The think tank noted that the PTI government has laid the ground for tariff policy. But trade figures are not showing promising results. PHOTO: FILE
Turkmenistan possess the world’s second largest gas reserves and it can provide 3,000MW electricity to Pakistan, which would cost it almost half of its current energy price and help the industry achieve better growth, said Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan Atadjan Movlamov.
Addressing the business community at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Tuesday, he elaborated on potential areas of bilateral cooperation between Turkmenistan and Pakistan. He said that Turkmenistan would start construction of the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline this year up to the Herat province of Afghanistan. He said Turkmenistan could also supply LPG to Pakistan.
Movlamov said that Turkmenistan was expecting a visit of Pakistani business community after the Covid-19 pandemic to explore new avenues of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. He said that lack of direct trade between Pakistan and Turkmenistan was a major hurdle in promoting two-way trade volume.
The ambassador added that being a landlocked country, Turkmenistan considered Gwadar port and Karachi port very important to promote its trade and exports with other countries. He said that Afghanistan provided the shortest trade route to Pakistan for Turkmenistan and establishment of peace in Afghanistan would enable both countries to promote bilateral trade up to their actual potential.
He said that Pakistan was poised to become a hub of economic activities in the region and Turkmenistan was keen to strengthen its trade ties with it. He said that Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan should consider signing a transit trade agreement.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2021.
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