SAARC trade important to reduce poverty in region: FM

Aug 17, 2020: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said promoting economic and trade cooperation among member countries of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) would help reduce poverty in the region and improve living standards of its people.

In a meeting with President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Malik, Vice President Senator Haji Ghulam Ali and Executive Member Zubair Ahmad Malik, the Foreign Minister discussed various issues of mutual interests including promotion of trade relations among SAARC countries.

Qureshi regretted that the volume of trade between SAARC member countries was very low and stressed to enhance it.

The Foreign Minister congratulated Iftikhar Malik on his election as president of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Iftikhar Malik briefed the Foreign Minister about the new building of SAARC Chamber Headquarters in Islamabad.

He assured the Foreign Minister that as president of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce, he would do his utmost to promote trade and economic cooperation between the SAARC member countries.

APP