Steps to enhance trade between Iran, Pakistan discussed

A delegation of Pakistan’s Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has met with the Deputy Governor of Sistan and Baluchestan Province of Iran Ali Akbar Mir Shekari and discussed border trade between the two countries.

The Iranian delegation is currently on a visit to Pakistan the Iranian officials attended a three-day Pakistan-Iran Joint Border Commission meeting in Gwadar.

Ali Akbar Mir Shekari talking to members of the GCCI said that his country wants to increase the current bilateral trade volume from $1bn to $5bn.

“In order to boost Iran-Pakistan trade activities, the people of the two countries will have to play their role and that is essential for the economic prosperity of the entire region,” he said.

“Undoubtedly problems are there, but through consensus we can resolve these problems to help the people of the two countries,” he said.

He said that during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Pakistan, it had been agreed to increase the trade volume from $1 billion to $5 billion and in order to achieve that objective, both sides are now taking steps at the border points to provide maximum trade facilities to businessmen of the two countries.

The Iranian official also assured Pakistani businessmen that they would be given visas and special cards soon.

He said that talks between the two countries were also underway to open Gabd-Reemdan and Mand-Pishin border points to step up trade activities.

Mir Shekari said he would also try to resolve the issues of Rahdari for businessmen willing to visit Chabahar port in Iran.

He invited Pakistan businessmen to visit Iran and assured them that the problems they were facing in export and import of goods to and from Iran would be resolved on priority basis.

While accepting the invitation of Mir Shekari to participate in the trade exhibition being held in Mashhad and Tehran, GCCI leader Mir Naveed Jan said that a 45-member delegation would visit Iran soon to participate in the exhibition.