B2B links to help enhance Pak-US trade

US envoy says traders from two sides can collaborate in textile, agriculture, energy

LAHORE:

There is massive potential to accelerate bilateral trade between Pakistan and the US through business-to-business interaction, said US Commercial Counsellor John Coronado.

Talking to the business community during his visit to the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) office on Friday, the envoy said that there was a wide scope for economic cooperation between the business communities of both countries.

He added that traders from the two sides could collaborate in textile, agriculture, energy and information technology sectors.

He urged the meeting participants to explore diverse avenues to enhance bilateral trade between Pakistan and the US and promised complete assistance and cooperation from the US Embassy in harnessing the business opportunities in the shortest possible time.

He was of the opinion that the textile industry of Pakistan could exploit the economic vacuum created due to the lockdown in regional countries.

In response to a query about inordinate delay in the issuance of US visa, he told the business community that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Washington had restricted the visa facility to humanitarian, educational and medical needs only.

However, he assured the businessmen that the commercial section of the embassy would make its best efforts to facilitate Aptma members in getting business visas aimed at exploring the US for business purposes.

Speaking on the occasion, Aptma Chairman Adil Bashir delivered a detailed presentation on the textile sector of Pakistan.

“Pakistan has set an ambitious export target of $39 billion for the current year against total exports of $25.3 billion during 2020-21,” he said. “The target for textile exports stands at $20-21 billion for the year, which is 30% higher than the preceding year.”

He requested the envoy to work on extending duty-free access to Pakistan in the US market on a pattern similar to the GSP Plus status granted by the European Union.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2021.

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