Abdul Razak Dawood, during a meeting with an Iranian delegation led by Member of Parliament and President of Iran Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani in Islamabad, said that his upcoming visit to Iran is very important.
The meeting was also attended by Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Mohammad Ali Hosseini.
The advisor said that setting up of border markets and promoting the Iranian side's initiative to promote clean trade is very important, adding that the two neighboring countries pursue one goal and that is to improve relations and move forward.
Referring to the Pakistani government's plan to strengthen infrastructure at the common border to activate border markets, he added that the construction of market continues and its main goal is to improve the lives of border residents of the two countries and facilitate the import and export of basic goods between residents of both neighboring provinces.
He said Islamabad is considering promoting trade through land routes with Iran, noting that sea freight costs a lot for the export of goods from Pakistan.
He added that Pakistan was trying to replace sea transport by road transport and sending goods through truck.
Abdul Razak Dawood promised to follow up on some obstacles in the way of exporting Iranian apples to Pakistan through Afghanistan, as well as issues related to the clean trade.
** Need for serious efforts of Pakistan government, Parliament to overcome sanctions
The head of the Iran-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group praised Islamabad's strong and unequivocal stance against US sanctions, adding that the two countries must move beyond the effects of unilateral sanctions to develop trade.
He noted Iraq's population and area as a neighbor of Iran is smaller than Pakistan, but it has been able to get relief from the United States over some sanctions.
He added that the current volume of Iran-Iraq trade is about $18 billion. “So the Pakistani government and parliament need to work hard to get through the sanctions and put pressure on the United States,” he said.
Amirabadi Farahani urged the Pakistani side to seriously pursue the issue of establishing a joint chamber that can help in bringing trade between two neighbors to a desirable level through goods for goods.
He said that consultations in this regard have been held with the new minister of industry of Iran and with the visit of the advisor to the prime minister of Pakistan to Tehran next month, expert and technical discussions will be held to reach an agreement.
The Qom MP stressed that promoting business is a serious idea that should be pursued with a strong and serious approach by Pakistani friends and that Iran expects the private sector, including the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce, to join this process.
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