LAHORE: Iraqi ambassador Dr Rushdi Al-Ani has invited Pakistani businessmen to enter into joint ventures with their Iraqi counterparts and avail themselves of the abundant opportunities of investment and business his country has to offer.

He was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday.

The ambassador said that Iraq was in dire need of Pakistani manpower to help complete its projects for construction, manufacturing and agriculture.

He said that his country also required Pakistan’s help in education, health and engineering sectors. Therefore, Pakistani educationists, doctors and engineers should avail themselves of the opportunities on offer in his oil-rich country, he added.

Mr Al-Ani said that Pakistani prime minister would soon visit Iraq and sign a number of trade and economy agreements.

He urged the LCCI president to arrange a sector-specific delegation for Iraq to help businessmen get first hand knowledge of facilities being offered by Iraqi government.

LCCI President Irfan Sheikh said that Pakistan and Iraq were members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation which had close friendly ties since 1947 but their ties failed to reflect in the area of trade and commerce.

He said the LCCI was ready to play a major role in promoting trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Pakistan was capable of exporting textile products, auto spare parts, marble, medicines, surgical items, footwear, edibles, wheat and rice, he informed. Pakistani construction companies could evaluate Iraq as a potential market if they were provided proper information, he said.

Likewise, Iraq could benefit from low-cost and abundant labour available in Pakistan who had earned good name across the world for their hard work and skill, he said.

Mr Sheikh said the country’s chambers of commerce could play a role in bridging the gap of information and developing interaction between businessmen of the two countries.