Display centres to be set up to boost trade

Trade with Kazakhstan set to double in three years through joint initiatives

ISLAMABAD:

The government has decided to establish dedicated Display Centres to showcase Pakistani products in an effort to increase bilateral trade with Kazakhstan by 100% over the next three years.

In a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Board of Investment, Privatisation & Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, it was agreed to set up these Display Centers to promote trade between Pakistan and Kazakhstan. The products to be showcased include textiles, surgical equipment, sports goods, handicrafts, leather products, and agricultural machinery.

The meeting was attended by Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin, and Pakistan's Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Nouman Bashir Bhatti, both of whom expressed keen interest in the initiative. They assured full cooperation for establishing the Display Centers in both countries, with work expected to begin immediately to make them functional as soon as possible.

During the meeting Aleem Khan emphasised that both Pakistan and Kazakhstan would extend all possible facilities to their respective business communities under one roof on a large scale. He highlighted that, instead of requiring foreign investors to travel to multiple cities, their business needs would be addressed at centralised locations for better efficiency and convenience.

He stated that a common business strategy will be adopted for Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries to strengthen trade relations in the region. He added that Pakistan aims to increase its exports to Kazakhstan by 20% within one year. To achieve this target, Pakistan will establish Exhibition Centers in key cities of Central Asia, including Almaty and Baku. Policies for these Display Centers will be formulated according to the demand for specific products in each country.

The minister also said that the Display Centers will be established at strategic and easily accessible locations, ensuring that the business community faces no difficulties in accessing these facilities.

The Kazakh envoy thanked privatisation minister for his active interest in fostering bilateral cooperation. He assured full support from the Kazakh side to make these initiatives successful.

Federal secretaries and senior officials were also present at the meeting and briefed the participants on key departmental matters related to the initiative.

It is worth mentioning that the first Display Center in Pakistan will be established in Islamabad. For this purpose, coordinated efforts will begin immediately between the Board of Investment, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), and the Ministry of Trade.