Russia wants more trade with Pakistan

Bilateral trade between Russia and Pakistan should be much more than the present $500 million as it does not reflect the potential of economic relations between the two countries.

Russian Federation Consul General Oleg N Avdeev said this at a dinner hosted in his honour by Chairman Pakistan Russia Business Council of FPCCI Muhammad Farooq Afzal. The Russian envoy said he would avail this opportunity to speak on bilateral relations, particularly trade and economy.

Avdeev said trade between Russia and Pakistan was increasing at a slow pace. He said the potential was great, but had not been tapped in full. Various efforts were underway to improve the situation but the progress was not impressive.

He said he had high hopes that the bilateral commission on trade and economy relations which was to meet later this year would strive to improve matters but stressed the need for private enterprise to play its role in promoting and increasing bilateral trade. He asked Pakistani businessmen to establish contacts with their counterparts in Russia. Avdeev said he fully supported the idea of a single country exhibition for Russia and pledged all assistance in this respect. He said he fully backed the FPCCI suggestion to send a Pakistani businessmen delegation to Russia.

He told Pakistani entrepreneurs that he would always welcome their advice on how to enhance Pakistan Russia trade, as it was only through joint efforts that the Pakistan Russia trade relationship would prosper.

Chairman Pakistan Russia Business Council of FPDCCI Muhammad Farooq Afzal in his address welcomed the Russian Consul General to Karachi and thanked him for his views.

He said both Pakistan and Russia needed to take sincere and concentrated efforts as the bilateral trade and investment between the two countries remained below potential. He added the Pakistani business community sincerely hopes that Avdeev’s dynamic leadership and valuable advices would play a role in the promotion of bilateral trade between both countries.

He said the business community in Pakistan and Russia appreciated the endeavors made by the Pakistan Russia Business Council of FPCCI to establish politico-economic ties and perceives it as the vista of fresh opportunities to augment bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Russia.

Afzal said Pak-Russia Business Council of FPCCI in collaboration with Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan Ltd, Karachi, and OJSC “Exposition Hall ‘Elektrifikatsiya, Moscow is organising the 1st Russian Expo 2014 – Karachi, scheduled on June11-12, 2014 in Karachi He said the Russian Expo -2014 will be a one-stop shop for heavy and light industry products from processing technology and ingredients to finished products.

Hence, the event will be a wonderful opportunity for Russian firms to present various industrial products and technology to potential Pakistani buyers which includes Iron and steel, Chemicals, Energy and Power, Oil and Gas, Wood pulp and paper, Electrical and power equipments, Aviation, Railway, Transport, Shipyard, & road Building Technology, Cooperation in IT industry/technology and Agro-based industry.

“In 2015, we will organise a single country exhibition of Pakistan in Russia,” he said.