SIALKOT: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Abu Dhabi-UAE Asif Ali Khan Durrani has urged the Sialkot exporters to divert their business activities to United Arab Emirates (UAE) for getting the full trade and export-related advantages in UAE under the investment-friendly atmosphere there.
He expressed this while addressing an important meeting with Sialkot exporters held at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here today.
He said that the Sialkot exporters have a great potential to explore and capture the international trade markets of the Abu Dhabi-UAE by exporting their diversified and non-diversified best quality export products including sports goods, surgical instruments, leather and leather products, musical instruments, gloves, hosiery and martial arts uniforms etc.
Asif Ali Khan Durrani also sought the effective and positive suggestions from Sialkot exporters to develop bilateral trade ties between Pakistan and Abu Dhabi-UAE, besides, establishing the strong business-to-business contacts between the businessmen of Pakistan and UAE.
He said that the effective trade, export and investment friendly policies of both Pakistan and UAE could help to open the new vistas of business and socio-economic development in the region.
He also emphasized the need of promotion of business-to-business contacts between Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Abu Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry for facilitating the businessmen.
He said that there was also a dire need of establish an international standard display center of Sialkot-made export products at Abu Dhabi-UAE and he assured his full cooperation and assistance to Sialkot exporters, in this regard.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Abu Dhabi-UAE Asif Ali Khan Durrani revealed that Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce (MoC) and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) were evolving the effective trade and exports enhancement policies to ensure the early increase in the mutual and bilateral trade between Pakistan and UAE.
He added that the Pakistani exports to the UAE could be enhanced to $ 6 billion by ensuring the proper and effective publicity of the Pakistani export products in UAE as well. He said that the annual imports of UAE were US$ 100 billion and Pakistan had the share of only 3 percent in UAE imports.
He said that Indian exporters were sharing as many as 80 percent in total exports to UAE.
While presenting address of welcome, acting President of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Mir Alamgir Meyer stressed the need of expansion of bilateral trade between UAE and Pakistan by opening new avenues of economic and trade cooperation. Undoubtedly, promotion of trade depends on better coordination, interaction, and understanding among business communities of the two countries, which the Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi-UAE and SCCI could conveniently facilitate through mutual cooperation.
SCCI Acting President revealed that the UAE is a major investor in Pakistan’s key sectors like oil and gas, telecommunications, real estate, aviation, banking and energy which is the backbone of the economic stability of the latter. Pakistan has also significantly cooperated with the UAE in establishment of its important institutions, such as armed force, police, health and education sectors. About 1.25-1.50 million skilled and semi-skilled Pakistanis currently reside in the UAE, contributing significantly to the progress of both countries. Majority of the Pakistanis currently working in the UAE have blue-collar jobs. According to an estimate, 20 percent of Pakistani expatriates are working white-collar jobs, whereas 80 per cent are working blue-collar jobs.
“We firmly believe that we can create balance in the trade values by exploiting the momentous opportunities present in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)”, he added.
He revealed that there is a huge scope for establishing joint ventures and business cooperation between UAE and Sialkot based companies especially in the fields of Sports Goods, Surgical Instruments, Leather Products, Information Technology and other potential sectors. He urged to motivate the business community of UAE to buy directly from Sialkot.
He recognized the importance of Business Centers and Warehouses set up by China and India, which have created immense trading opportunities for the business communities of the two countries. He believed that Pakistan needs to follow the model & set up such centers.
