ISLAMABAD: Thai investors have expressed interest to set up fish processing industries in Pakistan for the export of fish products to their country.

An official delegation, headed by Thailand’s Overseas Investment Promotion Division of the Board of Investment, Chllada Areerajjakul, held talks with Secretary Board of Investment (BoI), Iftikhar Babar on Saturday and sought the assistance in setting up the plant.

Thailand has limited investment in Pakistan, and currently only two com­panies were operating in the country.

Babar assured full cooperation to the delegation and proposed that they should consider the Special Economic Zone at Karachi or Gwadar, which are the ideal locations for such activities.

He informed the delegation that Pakistan is strategically located to become Asia’s premier trade, energy and transport corridor. It is also the gateway to the energy rich central Asian states, the financially liquid Gulf States and the economically advanced far eastern countries.

Meanwhile, both the countries have started negotiations for a free trade agreement which is expected to be concluded in 2017. Thailand can serve as a hub of ASEAN’s markets while Pakistan is viewed as a gateway to the Central Asian States.

Last year, trade between the two countries amounted to $1.014bn while Thailand’s export value was $874m and import value was $140m.

Major exports from Thailand to Pakistan are motor cars, parts and accessories, chemical products, polymers of ethylene/propylene, rubber products, synthetic filament and staple fibres, and machinery.

Pakistan’s largest export categories to Thailand are fresh aquatic animals, yarn and fibres, fabrics, animal and animal products, munitions used in official services, and garments.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2015

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