LAHORE: The Central Commerce Minister, Mr Ghulam Faruque, today [July 4] said that the Government’s policy of diversification of trade had considerably improved the prospects of trade with the Soviet Union, China and Indonesia. It was in pursuance of the same policy that a trade mission had recently visited the African countries where it had found fairly favourable markets for Pakistani products, he added.

The Commerce Minister, who was addressing a Press conference, particularly referred to Indonesia, which he said, had similar problems and had lately come very close to Pakistan. Trade relations with the other two great neighbours, China and the USSR, had also greatly improved. In this connection, he made a pointed reference to the President’s recent visits and exchange of views with African leaders which had created a good deal of understanding necessary for implementation of trade and diplomatic relations. Replying to a question, the Minister said that Pakistan would have to stop its liberalisation of imports in respect of those countries with which it had unfavourable balance of payments, if they did not cooperate with this country in buying our finished and semi-finished goods.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2015

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