KARACHI: Murat Mustu, Commercial Attaché at the Consulate General of Republic of Turkey in Karachi has said that Turkey is ready to sign the much-awaited Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Pakistan as nothing was pending from the Turkish side but it was being delayed by Pakistani government.
Speaking at a meeting during his visit to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday, Turkish Commercial Attaché said that with signing of PTA, concession on a number of goods will be granted to Pakistani exporters who will have the advantage to smoothly penetrate into the Turkish market by introducing their high-quality products and services.
President KCCI, Abdullah Zaki, Vice President KCCI, Muhammad Idrees, Chairman Diplomatic Affairs Sub-Committee, Abdul Jabbar Dalal and KCCI Managing Committee members were also present at the meeting.
Commenting on Pak-Turk trade ties, Murat Mustu stated that both countries continue to enjoy strong friendly and brotherly relations since past many decades and have been wholeheartedly supporting each other during difficult times. “We are here as it is the desire of Turkish government to strengthen trade ties with Pakistan. We must make efforts to increase trade volume and investments in our countries”, he added.
Identifying various sectors in which Pak-Turk business communities could undertake joint ventures, Turkish Attaché mentioned that livestock sector has the potential to considerably raise Pakistan’s exports to Turkey as Pakistani meat was more delicious and cheaper when compared with Turkish meat. “Through collective efforts, we can certainly raise the existing trade volume to new heights”, he added.
He informed that a three-member delegation will be visiting KCCI on August 13, 2014 in order to brief KCCI members about 15th MUSIAD International Fair and 18th International Business Forum Conference scheduled to be organized at CNR Center in Istanbul from 26th to 30thNovember 2014. Besides Karachi, this delegation will also be visiting Lahore and Islamabad in order seek advices on how to contribute in development of bilateral trade between the two countries. “Another two-member Turkish delegation will also be arriving in Pakistan soon to ensure participation of Pakistani businessmen in ‘Istanbul Jewelry Show’ scheduled to be staged from 16th to 19th October, 2014”, he added.
President KCCI, Abdullah Zaki, while briefing the Turkish Commercial Attaché about KCCI activities, informed that KCCI has become the largest chamber of Pakistan with a strong membership base of more than 20,000 direct members whereas around 50,000 indirect members are also linked with this chamber through seven of KCCI-affiliated town associations of Karachi. He added that KCCI has been actively playing the role of a strong bridge between the business communities of Pakistan and elsewhere, besides creating strong linkages amongst all stakeholders in order to ensure progress and prosperity for Pakistan’s economy.
President KCCI also stressed the need to fast-track work on signing of PTA between Pakistan and Turkey. It is high time to ink this important and much-awaited PTA which would substantially improve the existing trade volume between the two countries.
Vice President KCCI, Muhammad Idrees requested Turkish Commercial Attaché to assist KCCI in seeking ways and means of how to effectively promote ‘My Karachi – Oasis of Harmony 2015 Exhibition’ in Turkey so that maximum participation of Turkish companies could be ensured at this exhibition which is likely to be attended by more than one million visitors. KCCI’s My Karachi exhibition, which will be staged in the month of April 2015, is likely to be attended by foreign exhibitors from 10 to 15 countries.
Chairman Diplomatic Affairs Sub-Committee KCCI, Abdul Jabbar pointed out that the Turkish government imposed Anti-dumping duty on textile products in July 2011 which terribly affected Pakistan’s textile exports to Turkey. In this regard, he sought Turkish Attaché help in convincing the Turkish government to abolish this unjust duty which, if removed, will noticeably improve Pakistan’s textile exports to Turkey.
