ahlam1399
08-27-2016, 04:25 AM
DUSHANBE: In a bid to jack up bilateral trade by around eight times up to $500 million per annum from existing level of $65 million, Pakistan has officially asked Tajikistan to construct its route from Ishkashim for connecting it with Chitral that can ensure its access to warm water of Karachi port through distance of 2,200 kilometres.
“Both sides are working to facilitate bilateral trade as the leaders of the both the countries have envisaged target for jacking up bilateral trade up to $500 million over the medium term against existing level of $65 million in 2015. We have officially discussed opening up of route from Ishkashim to Chitral that will help them transport their products up to Karachi port and will also help us boost our exports,” Pakistan’s Ambassador in Tajikistan Tariq Iqbal Soomro told The News in an exclusive interview here at the embassy premises on Friday.
The ambassador said that the Trilateral Transit Agreement among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan did **t exist for which Pakistan was struggling a lot because it would help in reducing ****fficial trade.
According to independent estimates, the volume of **n-official trade was already ranging around $300 to $400 million per annum, mainly routed through Afghanistan.He said that Tajikistan had already applied for becoming part of Quadrilateral Agreement on Traffic in Transit (QTTA) for which all four member countries including Pakistan had agreed in principle and it was hoped that Tajikistan would soon join this forum of QTTA.
The ambassador said that the CASA-1000MW electricity project had entered into implementation phase and Pakistan would be expected to get imported electricity from it by June 2018. He said that Pakistan and Tajikistan enjoyed good and cordial relations in the field of trade, regional and eco**mic integration initiatives and in the field of defence cooperation.
Referring to last visit of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to Tajikistan early this year, he said that Pakistan had refurbished Small Arms Ammunition Factory in 2015 and Military Training Institute of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan. During this visit, General Raheel Sharif had also offered Pakistan’s full support for capacity building of the Tajik Armed Forces to counter terrorism.
Regarding bilateral trade, Ambassador Soomro said that it stood at $90 million mainly in favour of Pakistan during 2014 but it declined to $65 million in 2015 mainly because Chinese-built cement plant here in Tajikistan after which Pakistani cement exports decreased. The bilateral trade had touched its lowest level of $16 million few years back and **w again it was on the rising trend.
In first four months (Jan-April) period of 2016, the trade had already touched $40 million mark and it was hoped that it would cross $65 million mark this year.
“The other major exports of Pakistan included pharmaceuticals, oranges, potatoes, onions, textile, sugar, rice and juices. Our exports are also increasing related to Treet products, milk cream and electrical appliances,” he added.He said that they were making efforts to arrange trade exhibitions in a bid to boost Pakistan’s exports as Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) organised such trade exhibition in October 2015 here in Tajikistan. **w TDAP will be arranging a**ther exhibition from September 30 to October 2, 2016 in order to create awareness about Pakistan’s made ups which would help increase Pakistani exports in months and years to come.
He said that the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) held its last meeting in Islamabad in June 2016 in which important decisions were taken by both sides to increase bilateral trade and achieving the desired target of $500 million over the medium term. The next JMC, he said, would be held in Tajikistan.
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“Both sides are working to facilitate bilateral trade as the leaders of the both the countries have envisaged target for jacking up bilateral trade up to $500 million over the medium term against existing level of $65 million in 2015. We have officially discussed opening up of route from Ishkashim to Chitral that will help them transport their products up to Karachi port and will also help us boost our exports,” Pakistan’s Ambassador in Tajikistan Tariq Iqbal Soomro told The News in an exclusive interview here at the embassy premises on Friday.
The ambassador said that the Trilateral Transit Agreement among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan did **t exist for which Pakistan was struggling a lot because it would help in reducing ****fficial trade.
According to independent estimates, the volume of **n-official trade was already ranging around $300 to $400 million per annum, mainly routed through Afghanistan.He said that Tajikistan had already applied for becoming part of Quadrilateral Agreement on Traffic in Transit (QTTA) for which all four member countries including Pakistan had agreed in principle and it was hoped that Tajikistan would soon join this forum of QTTA.
The ambassador said that the CASA-1000MW electricity project had entered into implementation phase and Pakistan would be expected to get imported electricity from it by June 2018. He said that Pakistan and Tajikistan enjoyed good and cordial relations in the field of trade, regional and eco**mic integration initiatives and in the field of defence cooperation.
Referring to last visit of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to Tajikistan early this year, he said that Pakistan had refurbished Small Arms Ammunition Factory in 2015 and Military Training Institute of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan. During this visit, General Raheel Sharif had also offered Pakistan’s full support for capacity building of the Tajik Armed Forces to counter terrorism.
Regarding bilateral trade, Ambassador Soomro said that it stood at $90 million mainly in favour of Pakistan during 2014 but it declined to $65 million in 2015 mainly because Chinese-built cement plant here in Tajikistan after which Pakistani cement exports decreased. The bilateral trade had touched its lowest level of $16 million few years back and **w again it was on the rising trend.
In first four months (Jan-April) period of 2016, the trade had already touched $40 million mark and it was hoped that it would cross $65 million mark this year.
“The other major exports of Pakistan included pharmaceuticals, oranges, potatoes, onions, textile, sugar, rice and juices. Our exports are also increasing related to Treet products, milk cream and electrical appliances,” he added.He said that they were making efforts to arrange trade exhibitions in a bid to boost Pakistan’s exports as Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) organised such trade exhibition in October 2015 here in Tajikistan. **w TDAP will be arranging a**ther exhibition from September 30 to October 2, 2016 in order to create awareness about Pakistan’s made ups which would help increase Pakistani exports in months and years to come.
He said that the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) held its last meeting in Islamabad in June 2016 in which important decisions were taken by both sides to increase bilateral trade and achieving the desired target of $500 million over the medium term. The next JMC, he said, would be held in Tajikistan.
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