ISLAMABAD: President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari Wednesday emphasized the need to enhance and strengthen regional connectivity to promote trade and business ties with these countries for achieving sustainable economic growth and social prosperity in the country.
In a statement, he said that economic development was not possible without strong linkages with regional and other developed economies of the world, adding that regions like European Union and ASEAN were great examples in this regard.
These regions have accelerated economic growth by improving connectivity through rail, direct air links and road networks.
He urged the need for strengthening regional connectivity through rail, road and direct air links and stressed the need for starting direct flights of Pakistan International Airlines to other countries of the world.
He also urged the government to announce a fast-track privatization program of PIA without wasting more money and capital in order to improve the efficiencies of the national airline.
He said that Pakistan was an important member of several regional and international groups including SAARC, D-8, ECO, SCO, and OIC, adding that due to the lack of railway, road and direct air links the existing trade and commercial benefits were still unexplored.
