ISLAMABAD: The Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi has said that Pakistan and Portugal enjoy cordial relations and Pakistan wants to further strengthening them. He expressed these views while talking to Charge’ d Affairs of Portugal Joao Paulo Marques Sabido Costa who called on him here in Parliament House, on Tuesday. The Deputy Speaker stressed need for enhanced Parliamentary contacts between the parliaments of both the countries. He said regular interaction between Parliamentarians of the both country could play a vital role to further consolidate the existing bilateral relations. He also underlined the need for increase in bilateral trade. He viewed that volume of trade between the two countries at presents did not commensurate with the existing potential. He said that incumbent Government has introduced investment friendly policies in the country Portuguese companies could benefit from those policies. He urged for enhancing people to people and cultural exchanges. He said Pakistan is combating against the menace of terrorism and extremism that resulted in restoration of confidence of foreign and national investors to invest in Pakistan. He highlighted the landmark CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) project that has recently been commissioned in Pakistan and said that CPEC would prove to be a game-changer in greater regional economic and commercial activities. He asked the Charge’d Affairs to play his due role in persuading his fellow countrymen business community to look for investment opportunities in Pakistan. Charge’ d Affairs of Portugal Embassy thanked the Deputy Speaker for his remarks and said that his country also values high its relations with Pakistan. He agreed that interaction between the parliamentarians of both the countries could play an important role to bring both the nation closer. He appreciated the resilience shown by the people of Pakistan in war against terrorism and assured all out support of his country in this regard.