PM inaugurates D-8 trade exhibition
PM Raja Pervez Ashraf inaugurated four-day 8th D-8 trade exhibition in Islamabad on Monday.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony‚ the PM said the D-8 countries should work together‚ in partnership and in harmony‚ to take trade to five hundred billion dollars by 2018.
He said the D-8 governments have taken many a practical steps to facilitate promotion of trade during the past fifteen years. Important framework agreements have been put in place‚ such as Preferential Trade Agreement‚ Agreement on Visa facilitation and Cooperation on Customs matters. Forums have also been created to promote institutional linkages among the business community.
The Prime Minister said the member countries have a huge market of about billion people. Mutual benefits of trading with each other would be enormous‚ and the surest way to improve the economic indicators of our countries.
He said Pakistan is keen to expand business and trade relations with the D-8 member countries.
PM Ashraf pointed out that on the eve of the D-8 Summit‚ we have taken the initiative of organizing the first ever meeting of the heads of Trade Promotion Organizations in Pakistan.
He said this initiative is intended to institutionalize trade relations among D-8 members.
The PM hoped the meeting will come up with concrete and practical recommendations to expand trade relations.
He said Pakistan believes that access to markets should be based on equitable principles. We have always raised our voice for promoting unhindered market access. He said the democratic government believes in the theme of Trade‚ not Aid.
Raja Pervez Ashraf proposed to promote trade in services saying this will immensely benefit D-8 countries.
Emphasizing the need for regional trade‚ he said Pakistan aims aim to increase its exports in the region from 17% to 25%.
He expressed the confidence that this trade exhibition will result in forging long lasting trade and business linkages among D-8 members.
Besides Pakistan‚ other countries including Bangladesh‚ Indonesia‚ Iran‚ Malaysia‚ Nigeria and Turkey have put their products on display in the exhibition.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf accompanied by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim visited different stalls on the occasion.
