TEHRAN – Pakistan’s Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood said on Monday his country is seeking to enhance ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially in economic areas, IRNA reported.
Mentioning his upcoming visit to Tehran for attending the two countries’ ninth Joint Economic Committee meeting, Dawood said: “This meeting was due to be held in October but following the escalation of the coronavirus spread the event was postponed and the new date for the meeting will be announced soon.”
He underlined his country’s new policies for facilitating trade with neighbors, including Iran and Afghanistan, and stressed: “The barriers for trade with our country are gradually being removed, we are pursuing the same approach with Iran.”
“Our relations with Iran are improving and we hope that the development of the two countries’ economic ties will go beyond political relations,” he added.
The official further emphasized that his country is eager for expanding trade ties with Iran, saying: “The Islamic Republic of Iran and the expansion of trade and commerce with the country is very important for Pakistan, so our focus is on developing trade and bringing it to a desirable level.”
Praising the opening of the second official border with Iran, the advisor said the Pakistani government is keen on developing border markets and infrastructure with Iran.
The Rimdan-Gabd border was officially inaugurated on December 19 in the presence of officials from the two countries, becoming the second border crossing between the two neighbors.
Considering Pakistan’s relatively large consumer market, expansion of trade with the country and boosting exports to its market has become one of Iran’s priorities in recent years.
Iran’s exports to Pakistan in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19) stood at $1.18 billion, but in the meantime, financial and banking problems have still created obstacles in the way of trade relations with this country.
