The Nepalese ambassador Bharat Raj Paudyal has said Pakistan and Nepal should focus on the promotion of bilateral business relations ensuring continued partnership for progress.
Speaking to the business community during his visit to Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), he said the economic ties between the two countries can be enhanced to the best possibility.
The ambassador of Nepal said Nepal greatly valued its relations with Pakistan that were based on mutual respect, trust and shared perceptions on regional and international issues. Exchange of sector-specific trade delegations, single country exhibitions, dissemination of economic data and a proactive involvement of chambers of commerce in the two countries can do miracles as far as two-way business is concerned, he added. He said Nepalese businessmen felt quite comfortable while dealing with their Pakistani counterparts.
He expressed the opinion that the fast changing global scenario called for innovative economic strategies therefore the businessmen in the two countries should join hands for a better tomorrow. He said that at present the mutual trade ties between Pakistan and Nepal are negligible and the state of affairs asked for an increased frequency of reciprocal visits by the Pakistani and Nepalese business community.
The Ambassador urged the Acting President, LCCI, to bring a delegation of LCCI to Nepal for having first hand knowledge about the economic opportunities in Nepal as frequent visits were a way to expand business ties. His deputy, DP Bhandari also gave a detailed presentation on available business opportunities in Nepal.
The LCCI Acting President Kashif Younis Meher, Vice President Saeeda Nazar and Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik, Former LCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Basit and former Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra shared their point of view on the subject. The LCCI Acting President Kashif Younis Meher termed Nepal as an important partner for Pakistan in the SAARC region. “As far as mutual trade ties are concerned, both the sides need to do much more to know about each others’ potential areas,” he noted.
He emphasized on an improved people-to-people contacts on regular basis to add new impetus to and further invigorate existing cordial ties. He suggested that both the countries should appoint distributors of their respective famous brands in the two countries. He also suggested joint endeavors for promoting cooperation in different fields including health, human resource development and agriculture and setting up of joint ventures in textiles and pharmaceutical sectors.
Furthermore, he said, people to people contact, tourism links, exchange of business delegations, direct air link between Pakistan and Nepal and establishment of display centers in each other’s countries can considerably upgrade the bilateral trade. LCCI Executive Committee Members including Shoaib Zahid Malik, Sheikh Mohammad Ayub and Ahmad Husnain also spoke on the occasion.
