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Pakistan asks Malaysia for same treatment as Asean countries

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Pakistan has urged Malaysia that it should give preferential treatment to Pakistan as is being granted to other Asean countries.

This demand was placed on record during the first meeting of Asean-Pakistan Joint Business Council (APJBC) held at Federation House here on Monday which was reviewing the existing bilateral trade of Pakistan with the participating Asean countries and identifying new areas for expanding mutual trade and economic cooperation.

Pakistan side also urged Malaysia to take measures to reduce the existing big trade imbalance between the two countries.

The Pakistan side pointed out that although it was the biggest importer, of about 1.4 million tonnes palm oil from Malaysia, it was being given a non-discriminatory treatment.

An invitation was extended by Bashir Jan Mohammed , Chairman, Pakistan-Malaysia Economic Cooperation Committee for the visit of a Malaysian trade delegation to Pakistan. It was agreed that the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Malaysian Chamber should impress upon respective governments to extend at least two-year multiple visas to the genuine businessmen to promote the bilateral trade.

Syed Amin Al-Jeffri, leader of Asean Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegation, said that Malaysian companies would be happy to help reduce Pakistan's imports of palm oil by producing the same locally .

He called for identifying products that Malaysia could buy from Pakistan and help in processing them for exports. Pakistani side indicated that there was good scope for export of rice to Malaysia.

Jeffri pointed out that Pakistan could establish a carpet industry in Malaysia to cater to the requirements of the neighbouring countries.

He endorsed the proposal by the Pakistani side to utilise the financing by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for development of trade and industrial cooperation between Pakistan and the Asean countries.

He called for removing trade imbalances being faced by Pakistan with Asean countries.

He also suggested regular exchange of information on trade, customs procedure and taxation structure to remove the communication gap.

Representatives of Indonesia, Singapore, Laos People's Republic and the Philippines also expressed their views for increasing business cooperation with Pakistan.

It was identified that there existed good scope for increasing exports from Pakistan of Irri and basmati rice, apples, oranges, mangoes, gems and jewellery, sports goods, surgical items and other non-traditional items to Asean countries. Both sides also emphasised the need for promoting tourism between Pakistan and Asean countries.

It was decided that the FPCCI and the national chambers in Asean countries should advise their commercial sections in the respective countries to draw up action plans to be discussed in the next meeting of the Asean Joint Business Council proposed to be held in Manila, in April 2001.

Jeffri proposed the name of Ilyas Ahmed Bilour, Chairman, Pakistan-ASEAN Business Council (PABC), for appointment as honorary consul-general of Laos People's Republic in Pakistan.

Bilour suggested that the Pakistan government should also appoint its honorary consul general in Laos.

Jeffri invited a delegation of FPCCI to participate in the Asean summit to be held from April 11 to 13, 2000 in Kuala Lumpur.