Ambassador of Iraq Dr Rushdi Al-Ani has invited Pakistani businessmen to initiate joint ventures with their Iraqi counterparts as abundant investment and business opportunities are available there. He was speaking at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
Ambassador said Iraq also is in dire need of manpower from Pakistan to complete its projects in construction, manufacturing sector and agriculture. Dr Rushdi said Iraq also needs Pakistan’s help in education, health and engineering sectors therefore Pakistani educationists, doctors and engineers should avail opportunities in this oil rich country. He informed participants that Prime Minister of Pakistan would soon visit Iraq where he would be signing a number of economy related agreements also. Ambassador urged LCCI President to arrange a sector-specific delegation to Iraq so that the businessmen could have firsthand knowledge of business facilities being offered by Iraqi government.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said despite the fact that Pakistan and Iraq are members of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and also have close, friendly, and cooperative relations since 1947 but these prolonged ties do not reflect in bilateral economic relations.
He said Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry was ready to play an effective role to promote trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. LCCI President said Pakistan was capable of exporting textile products, auto parts, marble, medicines, surgical items, footwear, edibles, wheat and rice.
He said Pakistani construction companies which, if provided proper information, can evaluate Iraq as a potential market. Likewise Iraq can benefit from cheap and abundant labour available in Pakistan for this purpose. Pakistani engineers, doctors, technicians have earned a good name the world over and they would be welcomed by Iraq.
Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said chambers of commerce, like LCCI, can play a very constructive role in bridging the gap of information and interaction between businessmen of the two countries. He said in the domain of educational aids and stationery, Iraq will find Pakistan to be a dependable supply source. Publishing houses in Pakistan are competent enough to cater to specific needs of Iraqi educational system. Our publishing setup is making optimum use of enhancements in Arabic script software and you would find their workmanship to be of the required standard.
LCCI President also offered help to the visiting diplomat in Information technology tools in development of Tele-communication linkages in Iraq. “Pakistan has the required-trained human resource to develop information portals, websites according to the needs of the Iraqi government.”
Pakistan major items of export to Iraq over the years have included salt, stone, lime & cement, cereals, machinery, plastic products, articles of iron and steel etc; whereas, plastics, fruits, milling products, starches, wheat gluten, aircraft parts, machinery and etc are imported from Iraq.
LCCI executive committee members Ghulam Murtaza Shoukat, Ilyas Majid Sheikh, Husnain Raza Mirza, and former executive committee Member Amjad Ali Java were also present in the meeting and highlighted a number of issues coming in the way of two-way trade.
