In the second phase of the official tour of Iran, Punjab delegation led by Senior Advisor to Chief Minister, Senator Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa visited Shiraz and held meeting with Hossein Sadegh Abedin, Governor General of Fars Province to discuss the prospects of establishing strong economic relations between two sides. The Governor General of Fars proposed that there should be more exchanges of business delegations to establish strong trade network. Zulfiqar Khosa invited Governor General Fars on behalf of the Chief Minister Punjab to visit Lahore along with a delegation of relevant officials and businessmen. The Governor accepted the invitation and said that he will soon visit Lahore to explore opportunities for trade and investment. Speaking on this occasion Senator Zulfiqar Khosa said that it was a landmark visit as this is the first time that an official delegation from Punjab had visited Shiraz to establish economic ties between provinces of Punjab and Fars. He said both Punjab and Shiraz share similar culture, literary heritage and economic conditions and there is a great scope of business relations between the two provinces.
The delegation also visited Shiraz Chambers of Commerce & Industry and held meeting with the leading CEOs of Shiraz. Zulfiqar Khosa, while addressing the CEOs, invited them to invest in Agriculture, Livestock, Dairy, Energy and Infrastructure sectors of Punjab. He assured the businessmen that he will personally ensure that they are facilitated and provided all necessary support. He urged the Iranian side to increase trade with Pakistan in Meat, Wheat, Rice, Oranges and Maize. He asked the President of Shiraz Chamber to hold a mango exhibition in the month of June and Punjab Government will send Mangoes for the exhibition. He also invited the business community to participate in the Iran Single Country Exhibition to be held in Lahore Expo Center on 29th May 2012. Shiraz Chamber President showed his keen interest in the exhibition and promised that a delegation from Shiraz will participate in the exhibition.
The delegation includes Raza Ali Gilani, MPA, Mushtaq Ahmad, Secretary Agriculture, Hamid Yaqub Sheikh, Secretary Livestock & Dairy Development, Habib Gilani, DG, PBIT, Mohsin Bukhari, representative of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Professor Saleem Mazhar of Punjab University and Dr. Junaid Sarfraz of University of Health Sciences.
