Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastagir Khan has said that the draft of a three-year strategic trade policy framework has been sent to the prime minister for final approval.
“As soon as the prime minister accords approval, the policy will be announced,” he told APP in an interview. He said the cabinet committee on export and production headed by Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar had already accorded approval to the policy framework.
The ministry of commerce has also accommodated the inputs of various stakeholders and experts to make the policy more trade- and export-oriented for the benefit of the country, he added. The commerce minister said that Pakistan China business opportunity conference would be held here next week to further invigorate the trade and business relations between the two friendly countries.
“The ministry of commerce is hosting a day-long Pak-China business opportunity conference to exploit business opportunities being offered for Chinese investors in Pakistan,” he told APP in an exclusive interview.
The Chinese business delegation will also visit Lahore and then go to Karachi to meet the chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh and discuss business opportunities in their respective provinces.
The minister said that during the conference the senior officials of Pakistan would share five principal good news with the visiting participants that Pakistan had politically stabilised and it was a peaceful country for all the investors including the Chinese businessmen.
Pakistan, he said, had achieved macro economic stability as it had sufficient foreign exchange reserves to meet its international obligations.
Pakistan, he said, had grappled with the energy crisis of electricity and natural gas, adding that under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) there would be investment of US$ 35 billion in energy sector only.
He added that US $ 46 billion CEPEC would equally benefit all the provinces including Gilgit and Baltistan. He said that the first Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal was already operational while the second terminal would soon be set up to import large scale gas aimed at bringing growth to the industry and relief to the consumers.
About regional connectivity for shared prosperity, the minister said that it was the vision of the prime minister to promote regional trade with neighboring countries including Afghanistan and this trade should be expended to Central Asian Republics (CARs).
Under this vision, the government will import 1000 MW electricity from Tajikistan under CASA-1000 while Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline is being constructed to meet the energy need of these regional countries, he added.
When asked about the benefits of GSP Plus status given to Pakistan by the European Union (EU), he said, the exports had witnessed 33 per cent increase due to this facility during the last 19 months.
Ummm, idon´t
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