Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Chairman of FPCCI’s Management Committee, has explained the bottlenecks in the realization of the true trade potential that quantifiably exists between Pakistan and the Maldives; which currently stands at a meager $9mn. The absence of direct flights, lack of B2B contacts, insufficient governmental facilitation, and not targeting the right sectors are the topmost reasons that Pakistani traders have not yet been able to tap the true potential that exists in the Maldivian market, he added. Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that there is a substantive demand for halal Pakistani food exports to the Maldives; namely, fresh fruits and vegetables; halal meat; processed & semi-processed foods; dry fruits; various varieties of rice, and organic snacks. He added that as far as the food products are concerned, Pakistan can beat the competition on all fronts in the Maldivian market; be it prices, quality or taste. Farzana Zahir, High Commissioner of Maldives to Pakistan, said that Maldives is looking to diversify the sources of construction materials imports, including cement and steel; coupled with the increasing demand for halal food products. She also invited Pakistani entrepreneurs, hoteliers and real estate developers to invest in Maldivian Tourism Industry. Maldives enjoys 74% occupancy in the tourism and hospitality industries; and, that guarantees a great return on the investments in the industry, she added. Imran Khalil Naseer, a prominent business leader from Pakistan, pointed out that Pakistan can actually learn a lot from Maldives’ tourism industry and their infrastructure – as Pakistan has many underutilized and under-marketed tourism hotspots like religious, natural, and historical destinations. Mr. Usama Qureshi, an energy & FMCG expert, expressed his profound interest in the open-door policy of Maldives to welcome unsolicited project proposals in the renewable & green energy sectors. Concluding the meeting, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh proposed that a revised, updated, and expanded MoU should be signed between FPCCI and Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) to forge B2B alliances; which will eventually translate into a more vibrant G2G economic cooperation. He also proposed the formation of an effective & functional Joint Business Council (JBC) between the two brotherly counties. Furthermore, FPCCI Chief called for the launch of direct flights between Pakistan & the Maldives to make it possible for the business communities on both sides to embark on the much-needed business and economic tourism – else, all efforts may not produce the desired results, he added.