ISLAMABAD: Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar stressed need for enhancing bilateral trade with Australia to its true potential, besides enhancing cooperation and transfer of technology in developing food processing, dairy and cattle industry.

Meeting with Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Neil Hawkins, also attended by Additional Secretary Commerce Ahsan Ali Mangi and Joint Secretary Dr Adnan Ahmed Naveed Qamar said that bilateral trade between Australia and Pakistan had not achieved its potential and Pakistan’s exports to Australia had remained stagnant over years.

He emphasised on tariff differential faced by Pakistani exporters due to Pakistan’s “Developing Country Status” in Australian System of Tariff Preferences (ASTP) as compared to its competitors.

Australian High Commissioner agreed minister’s point of view to enhance bilateral trade especially in field of agriculture, textile and tourism. Both sides also discussed possibility of preferential market access under formal arrangements like PTA and FTA with Pakistan.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 30 2023

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