PESHAWAR: Malaysia is interested in enhancing trade ties with Pakistan as it will help to improve the economies of both the countries, says Malaysian High Commission’s Charge d’Affaires Deddy Faisal Ahmad Salleh.

During his meeting with the members of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here on Monday, he said that trade volume between the two brotherly Islamic countries had been improving owing to free trade agreement (FTA) for the last two years.

Mr Salleh said that Malaysian High Commission in Pakistan would soon launch online visa to resolve the problems of the businessmen in the shortest possible time.

He said that Malaysia had taken pragmatic steps to facilitate foreign investors at every level. He said that they would extend full cooperation to traders and exporters associated with the honey sector.

The envoy agreed with SCCI’s proposals and said that the issues of business community would be resolved in light of those recommendations as early as possible.

Earlier, SCCI president Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad stressed the need for simplifying the process of getting visa to further boost bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Malaysia.

He said that collaboration between Pakistan and Malaysia could enhance their share to billions of dollars in international Halal food market. He said that there were vast opportunities to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties between Pakistan and Malaysia.

The SCCI chief invited Malaysian businessmen to make investment in potential sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that the province being a gateway for export to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics was a lucrative destination for foreign investors.

Engineer Manzoor Elahi, S Minhajuddin, Ihsanullah, Zahoor Khan and others also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the issues mostly pertaining to issuance of visa, hurdles to bilateral trade and exports.

Many senior businessmen including SCCI senior vice-president Imran Khan Mohmand, vice-president Javed Akhtar, former vice-president Abdul Jalil Jan, executive members Naeem Qasmi, Ghulam Hussain, Shams Rahim, Fazal Wahid, Fahad Amin, Rashid Iqbal Siddique and Saddar Gul were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2022