11 February 2005	Friday	01 Muharram 1426

LAHORE, Feb 10: Afghanistan Trade and Commerce Minister Hedayat Amin Arsala has said that his government was ready to offer all possible facilities to Pakistanis for setting up industries in Afghanistan.

Talking to Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman and other office-bearers during a visit to the chamber here on Thursday the minister said that the Pakistani entrepreneurs should come forward and set up industries in Afghanistan as the economic situation was very conducive for foreign investment.

The LCCI President said that the chamber had decided to hold a single country exhibition of Pakistani products in Kabul in April to exploit the great potential for increasing trade between the two countries. Road linkages between Pakistan and Central Asia through Afghanistan would also help in boosting the Pakistan-Afghan trade.

LCCI Senior Vice President Sohail Lashari said that Pakistani entrepreneurs were ready to invest in joint ventures in Afghanistan with the assistance of the Afghan Commerce Ministry. LLCI Vice President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad called upon the minister to take notice of the misuse of the transit trade for smuggling.