Country can earn more foreign exchange: Fahim

Makhdoom Amin Fahim says measures taken to enhance Pakistani exports and divert trade balance in Pakistan’s favour.

ISLAMABAD: Several measures have been taken to enhance Pakistani exports to earn more foreign exchange and divert trade balance in Pakistan’s favour, said Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

Answering questions in the National Assembly on Friday, he said the ministry of commerce is working on a strategy to explore new markets to enhance Pakistani exports and it has been successful as new export markets of China, Hong Kong, Russia, Malaysia, African region and Eastern Europe have been explored, besides an increase in exports to the traditional markets.  Fahim said the new transit trade with Afghanistan is being finalised. However, Pakistan has banned transit trade of cigarettes and auto parts to Afghanistan with an objective to enhance export of Pakistani cigarettes and control smuggling.

Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar informed the House that ZTBL issued agricultural loans worth Rs79 billion during the last financial year to about six hundred thousand farmers.  She said the Bank will issue Rs80 billion in loans this year to farmers.

Published in The Express Tribune, October  2^nd, 2010.