Trade agreements: Indonesian envoy wants increased trade

Says preferential trade agreement will help future relations.

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia to Pakistan Burhan Muhammad, during his visit to the Islamabad Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), said that the Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) was a landmark development for both countries which will not only raise bilateral trade volumes but also open doors for Pakistani businessmen to penetrate into the emerging Asean market. He stated that his priorities were to enhance economic cooperation between Indonesia and Pakistan and to connect the business communities of two countries to further strengthen mutual linkages.

The ambassador mentioned that although there was some delay in the implementation of the PTA, he would meet with the Indonesian Trade Minister to resolve the issue. Muhammad however affirmed that besides economic and commercial cooperation, Indonesia also intendeds to invest in power projects in Pakistan, as Pakistan can get benefit of Indonesian expertise in the coal sector, mentioning that Pakistan and Indonesia are also negotiating to construct a coal power plant in Karachi for generating electricity by using domestic and Indonesian coal.

Speaking on the occasion President ICCI Zafar Bakhtawari said that although Pakistan and Indonesia are losing the closeness of their relations which were very strong at the time of former President of Indonesia Ahmed Sukarno, he expressed hope that the Ambassador Muhammad with his dynamic vision would revive relations.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.

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