Daily Times

Ambassador of Myanmar to Pakistan, Wunna Han on Saturday said that there is a vast potential of cooperation between Pakistan and Myanmar in the tourism sector, for which future paths can be determined between the two countries.

There is a lot of potential for tourism in the northern regions of Pakistan, especially Gilgit-Baltistan, which needs to be highlighted at the global level, Ambassador of Myanmar to Pakistan, Wunna Han told APP. The ambassador said that the northern regions of Pakistan, especially Gilgit-Baltistan, are very beautiful and rich in natural beauty, where there are six major mountain peaks of the world.

He said that he visited Skardu and nearby the world-famous plateau Deosai Park and these places are considered among the most beautiful tourist places in the world whose natural beauty can be seen.

The ambassador of Myanmar said that Gilgit-Baltistan’s tourism potential by drawing parallels with his country’s cultural heritage by expressing the hope that the local business community to unlock the tourism potential of the region will bear fruit.

The envoy said that apart from this, there is a lot of potential for religious tourism in Pakistan and Myanmar, for which the dialogue between the two sides should continue.

He said that Pakistan is the centre of Indus Civilization of which Taxila is counted among the centers of Buddhist civilization. He said that apart from Taxila, districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mansehra and Swat also have a historical heritage of Buddhist civilization in which religious tourism can be promoted.

Replying to economic and trade ties between both of the countries, he said that the present trade volume between Myanmar and Pakistan is US$70 million far less than their latent potential. He said that Myanmar’s exports to Pakistan are fruits, vegetable products, wood, seafood, jute and other textile fibres, and medicinal plants being imported from Myanmar.

Pakistan’s exports to Myanmar include military technology, medicament mixtures, cement, medicinal plants, leather, cotton fabrics, and electro-medical apparatus, he said.

It is pertinent to mention that in January 2012, then President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari visited Myanmar, and the visit focused on enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries.

In this visit, the Pakistani side proposed a Preferential Trading Area (PTA) along with a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). During this visit, the establishment of a joint ministerial commission as well as cooperation in the oil and gas sector was also proposed. A Bilateral Agreement in Science and Technology exists between the two states, and it was inked during former President General Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Myanmar in May 2001.