ISLAMABAD: Ahmad Warraich, Ambassador-designate of Pakistan to Switzerland visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry to get the input of private sector on how to improve bilateral trade with Switzerland. Talking to the ICCI Management, he stressed that business community should focus on high-tech products and diversification of exports basket to enhance trade with Switzerland. He said Pakistan was mostly depending on textiles and some other products for exports while it was time that the private sector should focus on producing high-tech products including mobile phones, computers and other value added products that would give significant boost to our exports.
He said Pakistan has great potential to promote tourism as the law and order situation has sufficiently improved. He assured that he would work hard for perception change of people in Switzerland about Pakistan so that our country could attract more foreign tourists. He said exchange of trade delegations was the key to explore new avenues of improving Pakistan’s trade and exports. He emphasized that ICCI should form a delegation for Switzerland and assured of his full support to make its visit successful.
Speaking at the occasion, Khalid Iqbal Malik, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that despite enjoying good relations, bilateral trade between Pakistan and Switzerland was just around US$ 500 million, which was far less than the actual potential of both countries. He said that government should cooperate with private sector and facilitate exchange of trade delegations to explore new avenues of mutual cooperation with Switzerland.
Khalid Iqbal Malik said that Pakistan’s exports were on the decline and urged that Pakistani foreign missions should develop strong liaison with local chambers of commerce to identify new markets for Pakistani products so that private sector could step up efforts to promote exports. He assured that ICCI would consider taking a delegation to Switzerland in future.
Khalid Malik, Senior Vice President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Pakistan and Switzerland were doing trade in limited items and Embassy should share market information with ICCI on regular basis so that business community could take advantage of potential business opportunities in Switzerland.
