LAHORE, Sept 11: Pakistani high commissioner designate to Sri Lanka Air Vice Marshal Shahzad Aslam Chaudhry (retired) said on Monday that there was a vast scope for expansion of two-way trade between the two countries.

Talking to LCCI president Mian Shafqat Ali, the high commissioner designate said plans were afoot to make linkages between Pakistani embassy in Sri Lanka and chambers in Pakistan more effective and result oriented. “Our embassy will play its role in this regard,” he added.

Asking Pakistani businessmen for exploiting opportunities to their advantage, the diplomat said the cost of business in Sri Lanka was cheaper owing to inexpensive inputs.

He said at present Sri Lanka was in great demand of chemicals and steel products, but Pakistani businessmen were unaware of these opportunities and India had been taking a lead in this regard.

The LCCI president called for collaboration in construction, sugar, cement, paper and paper-board, electronics, software development, food processing and preservation, dairy products, LPG cylinders and storage tanks, mineral mining, handicrafts, gem and jewellery and livestock breeding.