Daily Times

Malaysia is interested to further enhance trade ties with Pakistan as both countries have good potential to do trade in many items that would help their economies to grow and progress.

This was stated by Deddy Faisal Ahmad Salleh, Charge d’Affaires of the High Commission of Malaysia during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI), said a statement issued on Thursday. Pak-Malaysia Business Council President Datuk Nazir also accompanied him on the occasion.

Deddy Faisal Ahmad Salleh said that Malaysia intends to further expand industrial training in Pakistan including technical and vocational education training, research and development, as well as commercialisation and innovation to benefit Pakistan’s economy.

He said that Malaysia is providing good incentives to its SMEs and close cooperation between the SMEs of two countries would help in promoting bilateral trade. He said that Malaysia is keen to import security guards from Pakistan for which documentary work was in process.

He said that many Pakistani products are reaching the Malaysian market via third countries at higher cost and stressed promoting direct trade between the two countries.

Datuk Nazir, on the occasion, emphasised for developing strong business linkages between the private sectors of both countries to take business and investment relations to the next higher level.

Speaking at the occasion, ICCI President Muhammad Shakeel Munir said that Pakistan prefers to promote trade with Malaysia as it provides easy access to bigger ASEAN market. He said that Pakistani Halal meat, IT products, fruits & vegetables and many other products have good potential in the Malaysian market and Malaysia should enhance their imports from Pakistan.

He identified tourism and infrastructure development as potential areas of mutual cooperation between the two countries. He stressed for promoting frequency of direct flights between Pakistan and Malaysia to promote business relations.

Jamshaid Akhtar Sheikh, Senior Vice President ICCI said that ICCI is considering holding another business conference in Malaysia and the High Commission of Malaysia should cooperate in the execution of this event.

ICCI Vice President Muhammad Faheem Khan said that both countries should encourage regular exchange of trade delegations to explore new avenues of mutual collaboration between the two friendly countries.

Baser Daud, Sheikh Ejaz, Saeed Khan, Ch Muhammad Ali, Akhtar Hussain, Khalid Mehmood, Raja Imtiaz, Shahbaz Sheikh, Fahad Farid, Muhammad Naveed, Abbas Hashmi, Khalid Chaudhry and others also shared useful ideas for promoting bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Malaysia.