LAHORE: The LCCI President Abdul Basit said that participation of Iranian President Rouhani and visit of high-level Iranian delegation led by the President of Iran Chamber Engr. Gholam Hossein Shafie to the ECO Conference in Islamabad is an ample proof of the cordial and friendly relations between the two countries. Government plan to send a team to revisit the GSPA (Gas Sale Purchase Agreement) with Iran will go a long way and will provide an effective solution to country’s energy crisis.
The Iranian Consul General Mohammad Hossein Bani Assadi while talking to the LCCI President and former President Syed Mohsin Raza Bukhari at Iranian Consulate said that the business community in the two countries would have to increase interaction to share their experiences in the larger interests of the people of two brotherly nations, through sector-wise trade delegations and single country exhibitions from the platform Chambers of Commerce in the two countries.
The LCCI and business community of Lahore in general hails the new business visa policy and introduction of business visa drop box facility. LCCI is very pleased that for Punjab, it is entrusted to a member of LCCI”.
He said that such steps will benefit bilateral trade relations of Pakistan with Iran, since countries share border, rich resources, culture and religion. He said that through Iran, Pakistan can initiate trade with Central Asian States via land route forming an important region for Global Economics due to CPEC and One Belt One Road. Lahore as premier chamber will be leading the trade with Iran and ECO counties and delegations are being formed to visit neighboring countries. Abdul Basit added.
Iranian Consul was further informed General that Governor State Bank during his recent visit to LCCI assured Pak-Iran Banking channel to be reconnected sooner than expected.
The Consul General said that Iranian Airlines would start operations with initially two flights per week one from Lahore and one from Karachi to Tehran in near future. He added that Iran has completed its part of Fiber Optic Cable which only needs connection with Pakistan to improve the telecommunication structure between the two countries.
The President said that letters would be written to Prime Minister and Ministry of Communication that communication gap should be bridged if we want to cement mutual trade relations. He said both the sides need to conduct market research to further strengthen trade relations between the two countries. Priority should be given to each other for import of goods rather than buying from distant countries.
Former LCCI President Syed Mohsin Raza Bukhari said that collaboration in SMEs and mega projects like onshore and offshore oil & gas exploration activities, hydel and coal based energy projects, paper & board, sugar, cement, chemicals, transport & communication, construction of roads in Pakistan, scientific & educational cooperation, handicrafts, artificial jewellery, carpets, fancy furniture etc. He said Pakistan is basically an agricultural country bestowed with variety of seasons and agro-based products but due to
lack of post harvest technologies a lot of agriculture produce is wasted. Hence, technology from Iran can help Pakistan’s agro-based food processing and dairy industry to improve. Pakistan is one of the leading countries and known around the globe for its textile potential and products, that still needs to be properly introduced in Iranian business houses. Such efforts can also prove vital to equalize our trade balance.
