Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said Muslim countries should join hands for collective progress and launch joint ventures in different sectors while talking to Iranian Consul General Muhammad Hossain Baniasadi on Monday. He said agreements have been signed between Punjab and Turkey during the last three years for joint projects while a state-of-the-art slaughter house has been set up in the provincial metropolis with the collaboration of Iran which will be inaugurated on December 25.
Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company Chief Executive Officer Dr Hamid Jalil was also present on the occasion. Talking to Baniasadi, the CM said Pakistan and Iran have deep-rooted brotherly relations and there was a need to transform them into trade and economic ties. He said both the countries could launch joint ventures for promoting bilateral relations. He said Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates should work together for the development of different sectors. He said that Punjab government had created a favourable atmosphere for foreign investment and all projects were being executed in a highly transparent manner. He said agreements have been signed with Turkey in various sectors during the last three years and the implementation of the project for cooperation in solid waste management would be started from February next.
He said that negotiations were also in progress with Turkey for collaboration in bus rapid transit system and Turk engineers will soon visit Lahore for this purpose. He said measures were being taken for promoting mutual cooperation with Iran and the joint venture of setting up a modern slaughter house in Shahpur Kanjran has been completed. He said Iran imported huge quantity of meat from Australia, Brazil and other countries while Pakistan was its neighbour and the aerial distance between Lahore to Mashhad was only about two and a half hours. He said that fresh meat can be exported to Iran daily from Punjab through chartered planes. He said Iran and Pakistan should sign a trade agreement on meat worth $150 million. He said besides livestock sector, Punjab, Iran and China can also start Metro project jointly.
Baniasadi said bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iran were rooted in history, religion and civilization and there is a wide scope of further cooperation in different sectors between the two countries. He said Iran would be pleased to import meat from Punjab, adding that an exhibition of the products of more than 50 Iranian companies will soon be arranged in Lahore.
