ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday asked the Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to undertake extensive visits of the region for enhancing trade wherever possible within the 8-nation grouping.

The president was talking to a delegation of the Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry headed by its president Tariq Sayeed that called on him in the Presidency.

The delegation included Iftikhar Ali Malik and Muhammad Iqbal Tabish from the chamber. Also present were Waqar Ahmad Khan, minister for investment, and Salman Faruqui, secretary general to the President.

The president said that the government planned to set up cement and ethanol plants in the tribal areas for the economic uplift of the people and ending poverty. The produce of these plants will be exported to Afghanistan, besides its utilisation in the domestic market.

He said that Pakistan’s trade with other countries within the Saarc grouping should not be hampered only because trade liberalisation with India was a slow process.

Mr Zardari said that the Reconstruction Opportunities Zones (ROZs) concept was being finalised and expressed the hope that it will be materialised before the end of the year.

He said that the private public partnership model will be pursued vigorously to attract foreign investment in the country.

The government has laid renewed emphasis on enhancing Pakistan China economic ties and advised the delegation to work for increased cooperation between the business and commerce communities of the two countries.

The president assured the delegation that he will take up with the government the issues relating to the building of a Saarc business secretariat in Islamabad.—APP