Islamabad: /DNA/ – The Pakistani business community should focus on Morocco for boosting exports to North African countries as African region offers great potential to Pakistan for promoting trade and economic relations. This was observed by Hamid Asghar Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Morocco while interacting with entrepreneurs during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).
Hamid Asghar Khan said that Pakistani business community should increase its presence in Morocco to capture better market share in the North African region. He said that businessmen of Morocco were also interested in JVs in Pakistan, especially in agriculture, fertilizer and other sectors. He emphasized the importance of Morocco and North African markets for Pakistan for improving trade and exports. He said that ICCI and other trade bodies in Pakistan can play an important role in connecting the members of the business community with Moroccan counterparts for strong business linkages that would help in boosting trade relations and assured that his embassy would extend all possible cooperation in realizing these goals.
Speaking at the occasion, Fatma Azim, Senior Vice President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Pakistan have the potential to export many products to Morocco and other North African countries including rice, pharmaceuticals, textile products, surgical instruments, fruits, rickshaws, motorbikes and emphasized that Pakistan and Morocco should focus on direct flights and set up strong air links to strengthen trade relations and people-to-people contacts. She said that the Embassy of Pakistan in Morocco should conduct market study reports and share them with chambers of commerce & industry in Pakistan so that our exporters could exploit all the available business opportunities in Moroccan market. She said that both governments should facilitate frequent exchange of trade delegations and organize single country exhibitions to explore all untapped areas of trade promotion. She emphasized that linkages between the businesswomen of both countries should be strengthened to boost bilateral trade in women related items.
Abdul Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI, Mian Shaukat Masud former President ICCI, Aslam Khokhar, Muhammad Shakir and Hafiz Bilal Munir, Executive Members ICCI also shared useful ideas for improving bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Morocco.