PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Fuad Ishaq and Iran’s Consul General in Peshawar Ali Banafsheh Khah have agreed to start a series of online meetings for the business communities of both countries to bring them closer.

They also said they would work for a uniform duty and tariff structure between Iran and Pakistan.

The Iranian consul general met the SCCI leader at the Chamber House here, according to a news release issued on Monday.

Commercial attaché of Iran’s consulate in Peshawar Hossein Maliki, SCCI senior vice-president Sanaullah Khan, vice president Ijaz Khan Afridi and secretary general Sajjad Aziz were also present on the occasion.

Mr Ishaq stressed the need for trade in local currency and sign free-trade agreements with Iran, Afghanistan and China.

He spoke about the memorandum of understanding signed between the SCCI and the Mashhad Chamber and called for its effective implementation.

The chamber president said online meetings should immediately begin between the SCCI and Mashhad Chamber.

He also invited the business community of different chambers of Iran to come to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said the SCCI was ready to host them.

Mr Ishaq said that the business community was keen to improve trade between Pakistan and Iran.

He called on the governments of Pakistan and Iran to come together and make a joint action plan and initiatives to resolve issues of duties and tariffs so that the problems of the business community of both countries could be resolved and mutual trade and relations could further improve.

The SCCI president urged Iranian authorities to play their due role in removing the obstacles in the TAPI gas pipeline project.

He said that sufficient electricity was available with Iran, so laying of a transmission line on the Pakistani side of the border would play an important role in fulfilling Pakistan’s energy needs.

On the occasion, the consul general of Iran said his country and Pakistan were tied by strong traditional, commercial and cultural relations.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2023