Khurram Dastgir Khan inaugurates the 12th SAARC Trade Fair

Lahore: Federal Commerce Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Friday that Pakistan is
fully committed to ensure durable peace in the SAARC region for improving trade relations; bringing prosperity and transforming the region into a trading bloc.

The Federal Minister along with SAARC Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, was talking to media after inaugurating jointly the 12th SAARC (South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation) Trade Fair and 9th WEXNET Exhibition here at Expo Centre.

The federal commerce minister said, “Our leadership is all committed for restoring peace and ensuring prosperity in the SAARC region and at the same time, Pakistan wants to maintain its foreign and trade relations with other countries on the basis of mutual respect while keeping well in view the inviolability of each others’ sovereignty.”

Khurram Dastgir said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had shown his commitment for improved relations and trade among SAARC states and always stressed the need for ensuring
durable peace so as to bring prosperity to the poor people of this region.

To another question, he said in the world, trade partnership is being promoted and trading blocs are being made, therefore, we also have to improve trade in the region, adding, “We are hopeful of neighboring country (India) to review its attitude for the cause of regional peace and prosperity.”

He was of the view that if one neighbouring country provokes heated statements/talks, it would definitely have negative impact on all aspects of mutual relations even the cricket sports. In years to come, he said, it would become crystal clear that without establishing durable peace SAARC
region could not attain that kind of prosperity and development as had been achieved by other regions of the world.

Khurram Dastgir also mentioned that restoration of peace in Afghanistan is the top priority of Pakistan and any country wanted to become partner in this regard, Pakistan would definitely welcome it.

The Federal Minister said, “Despite all challenges, the region is moving forward; the economic integration and people-to-people contact is also moving forward. While, we are much aware of the challenges, I think the opportunities are much brighter and instead of focusing on the obstacles, we are
focusing on the opportunities to make way forward and bringing people together to trade with each other and to display their products and authentic work for more trade collaboration to tap the full trade potential of regional countries so as to achieve the shared prosperity of economic integration in the region which is the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.”

To a query, Khurram Dastgir said that Pakistan took the leadership initiative by holding the SAARC Trade Fair that was awaited for the last three years. He added that Ministry of Commerce, and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) jointly organized both the events with an active participation of various companies of the regional countries. The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and FPCCI, and others trade bodies are playing an effective role to make the event a success story.

Khurram Dastgir said, “We have also encouraged the women entrepreneurs by providing them opportunity to display the handi work as well as share their trade experiences with other women entrepreneurs of the region.

Talking to the media, SAARC Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa said, “I feel great pleasure to be in Pakistan and I am very thankful to the government of Pakistan, the TDAP and the chambers of commerce and industry for holding these exhibitions for which we had been looking for the last three years.”

Thapa added that at the previous SAARC Trade Fair held in Bangladesh in 2012, the SAARC had appreciated Pakistan for coming up with fruitful idea of holding trade fairs.He said, it is very alarming that SAARC trade volume is mere five percent of the total trade of the world, asserting that the SAARC
countries, in a meeting held in 2014, had resolved for taking effective measures for expansion in the regional trade volume.