Pakistan has signed transit trade agreement with Uzbekistan, and is negotiating further transit trade agreements with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
This was revealed by Federal Minister for Commerce & Investment, Syed Naveed Qamar while meeting deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Aibek Artykbaev. Naveed Qamar said that government’s vision is to make Pakistan a trade, transit and transshipment hub, ensuring connectivity with Afghanistan and beyond.
He highlighted that bilateral trade between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan remained at $ 4.27 million during fiscal year 2021-22 which does not reflect the true potential of trade between the two countries.
Minister Naveed Qamar further said that promoting international trade, transit and investment is the pivot around which Pakistan seeks to devise its economic policies. The commerce Minister added that Pak-Kyrgyz Trade and Investment Forum was held from 19th to 20th April 2022 in Islamabad and on 22nd April in Lahore. He hoped that such activities should be held on regular basis in future.
Naveed Qamar maintained that the draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishment of Joint Working Group has been shared with Kyrgyz republic and their response is being awaited.
The Kyrgyz deputy Foreign Minister assured the Pakistani side for further enhancement of trade ties between the two countries. He said that he would take practical measures to improve trade ties between both countries.
