LAHORE, Dec 3: Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Halili Guven has said that Pakistan and Turkey have the potential for increasing bilateral trade from the current level of $360 million a year to over $1 billion.

Bright prospects exist for collaboration in engineering, automobiles, textile and infrastructure development sectors, he added.

Talking to vice-president of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aftab Vohra and former presidents Mian Tajammal Hussain and Bashir A. Bakhsh during a visit to the LCCI along with his 60-member delegation on Friday, Mr Guven said that Turkey had highly developed automobile and infrastructure development sectors and Pakistani entrepreneurs could benefit by launching joint ventures in the two sectors.

The Turkish delegation is on a visit to Pakistan for offering assistance in the rehabilitation of earthquake survivors.

He said that Bursa chamber was ready to sign a memorandum of understanding for trade promotion with the LCCI as Lahore was turning into a hub of business activity. Pakistani entrepreneurs could enter the European market through Turkey, he added.

He expressed grief over the huge loss of life and property in Azad Kashmir and NWFP during the Oct 8 earthquake and offered all kinds of assistance in the rehabilitation of victims.

Mr Vohra said Pakistan and Turkey were members of the OC and ECO and had identical views on various global issues. Turkey had always offered moral support to Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and Pakistan had supported its stand on Cyprus issue.

He said Pakistan owed gratitude to Turkey for providing $158 million assistance for the rehabilitation effort.