“Canada-Pakistan Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment is working
on exploring ways to promote bilateral trade.”
The
Federal Minister for Commerce and Textile, Mohammad Pervaiz Malik said this in
a meeting with Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Perry John
Calderwood.
The
Minister welcomed the Canadian High Commissioner and also thanked him for the
letter of facilitation and invitation to visit Canada, extended by Mr.
Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canadian Commerce Minister. He also shared his
intention to visit Canada soon to discuss ways and means to bolster the already
cordial trade relations between the two countries.
Mr.
Mohammad Pervaiz Malik highlighted that trade between Pakistan and Canada stood
at US $0.91 billion during the FY 2016-17 and said that there is tremendous
potential between the two countries to increase the bilateral trade by many
fold. Pakistan’s major exports to the Canada include rice, made up articles of
textiles material, articles of apparel and major imports from Canada are
grain oil seeds and pulses, vegetable preparations machinery and its parts, pharmaceutical
products, oil-seed & chemicals. Mr. Mohammad Pervaiz Malik further said
that Canada-Pakistan Joint Working Group on Trade
and Investment is working on exploring ways to promote bilateral trade. He also
asked Canadian side to come up with their recommendations on proposal to
conduct a Joint Study for promotion of bilateral trade.
The Commerce Minister informed the Canadian High
Commissioner that the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) and the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) agreed to adopt mutually agreed scientific
solution to the problem of fumigation of Canadian Exports to Pakistan to ensure
food safety standards and said that with the support of CFIA the DPP has
completed technical and legal evaluation of the information provided by CFIA and
now await invitation from CFIA to DPP experts for on-the-spot inspection of
integrated measures employed in Canada to ascertain export of quarantine free
cargo to Pakistan.
The
Minister further said that the Security Situation in Pakistan has significantly
improved & economic and social indicators are on the rise in Pakistan and
Pakistan offers a lucrative market for investment. Canadian High Commissioner,
Mr. Perry John Calderwood congratulated Mohammad Pervaiz Malik on becoming the
Commerce Minister and said that there has been a substantial improvement in the
security situation in Pakistan and Pakistan is also taking major steps for ease
of doing business which makes the Pakistani market very lucrative for Canadian
businesses and investors. He informed the commerce minister that Canada has
already made significant investment in Solar Energy Projects in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan.
Canadian
High Commissioner said that there has been a solid foundation of Pakistan and
Canada trade relations and now a sustained effort is needed to build on that
foundation and increase the bilateral trade. He also expressed need to bring
the Pakistani and Canadian businesses together so that they get understanding
of businesses in both countries and explore new investment opportunities. Later
on, Mr. Erik Beishembiev, Kyrgyz
Ambassador to Pakistan called on the Federal Minister for Commerce and Textile
Mr. Mohammad Pervaiz Malik. He asked the commerce minister for the support of
Pakistan in activation of Trade and Economic Council between the chambers of
the two countries and providing training to Kyrgyz officers on GSP Plus.
The
Commerce minister welcomed the Kyrgyz ambassador to the ministry and assured
him of full support and facilitation. The minister also promised to speed up
the work on activation of Trade and Economic Council.
