SIALKOT, Dec 30: Tunisian Ambassador Lamine Benzarti has urged the Islamic states to develop a joint strategy for facing the WTO challenge.

He was addressing local industrialists at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Tuesday afternoon after visiting some industrial units in the district.

He said that Tunisia was trying to host the soccer world cup in 2010 and making arrangements for holding the African cup in 2004, adding that these events would help increase soccer balls’ export from Pakistan and bring Tunisia and Pakistan closer.

Sialkot, he said, was globally known for its quality sports goods, especially the soccer balls. Sialkot-made surgical instruments were also popular in Tunisia, he added.

He said Pakistan’s economy had been strengthened by positive policies of the government. He was of the view that business environment in Pakistan was conducive to foreign investment.

The Tunisian envoy said there were bright prospects for expansion of trade relations between Tunisia and Pakistan.

He invited the Sialkot business community to divert their business and trade activities to Tunisia and capture its markets by diversifying traditional and non-traditional export items.

He said there were opportunities for joint ventures between Tunisia and Pakistan in various fields, and many Tunisian companies had shown a keen interest in this regard.

Mr Benzarti said that Tunisia and Pakistan were enjoying good trade relations and it was time for them to make efforts for accelerating the pace of mutual trade activities.

He said that Pak-Tunisia joint business council’s forum would be strengthened for a continuous exchange of information between the private sectors of the two brotherly Islamic countries.

He also invited the SCCI to send delegations to international trade fairs and exhibitions in Tunisia.

SCCI president Tahir Majeed Kapur welcomed the offer of joint ventures, hoping it would be helpful in promoting mutual trade and enhancing exports.