The Federal Commerce Minister, Mr. Pervaiz
Malik had a meeting with U.S Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. David Hale who called
on the Minister today.
The
Commerce Minister said that Pakistan and US have cordial Trade Relations and
that Trade between Pakistan and US stood at 6 billion USD during the last FY
2016-17. He said that the trade relations between the two countries are
governed by Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) which was signed in
2003 and covers Pak-US GSP Programme and Business Opportunities Conference
(BOC).
BOC
is a government to government arrangement and Pakistan is preparing to host fifth
BOC.
Mr.
Mohammad Pervaiz Malik said that Pakistan is also looking forward to further
improve bilateral trade with Afghanistan and facilitate the transit trade.
"Pakistan is looking forward to holding the 7th APTTCA meeting which was
scheduled on 10th - 11th September, 2017 but was unilaterally postponed by the
Afghan side", added the minister.
He
said that U.S should extend cooperation to Pakistan in different sectors
particularly agriculture.
U.S
Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. David Hale said that Pakistan is lucrative
for investment and that U.S businesses are interested in investing in Pakistan.
He further said that GSP is the key and Pakistan is making good use of it.
Mr.
David Hale said that Business Opportunities Conference will help Pakistan in
building awareness of U.S businesses and will result in sector wise discussion
and cooperation.
Earlier,
the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Mr. Jean Francois Cautain called
on Federal Minister for Commerce, Mohammad Pervaiz Malik. Matters of mutual
interest were discussed in the meeting.
*-*-*-*