Dhaka, Bangladesh : Pakistan High Commissioner in Bangladesh Alamgir Bashar Khan Babar said today that Islamabad wants to strengthen bilateral ties with Dhaka in different areas including trade and commerce.
"The annual trade volume between the two countries is merely US $ 340 million, which can be substantially increased through diversification of trade," he said at a talk, organized by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Bangladesh (DCAB) at the Jatiya Press Club.
Babar said that Bangladesh and Pakistan have a very special relationship. In this context, he said Pakistan has been giving concessions to Bangladesh through duty free import of jute and duty free import of tea up to 15,000 metric tons.
Islamabad, he said wants to sign FTA with Dhaka to take the trade relations to a new height. Such agreement with Sri Lanka, he said has been paying good dividends.
Alamgir Babar told a questioner, besides cooperation in different areas there is also defense cooperation and the Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh General Moeen U. Ahmed has been invited to visit Pakistan at a mutually convenient time.
He said terrorism has become a global threat and members of SAARC countries are discussing strategies to strengthen cooperation to fight this menace.
Describing Pakistan's stand on Kashmir issue since 1947, the high commissioner said that the people of Kashmir have to decide their own fate as per the Security Council resolution to which both Pakistan and India are signatories.
Responding to questions on outstanding issues between Bangladesh and Pakistan including sharing of assets and repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis, Babar said his country looks at the issue as a humanitarian matter and is willing to help in whatever manner it can. He described the issue of sharing of assets as a very complex one.
He told a questioner that the number of Bangladeshi community living in Pakistan would be between two and three million.
Babar said his country has been extending support to Bangladesh in various social sectors including health and education. Since 2005, he said Pakistan has spent Taka 25 million in these sectors. The number of full-funded scholarships has been raised to 100 this year.
In the health sector, he said Islamabad has so far provided seven ambulances to various charitable hospitals and philanthropic organizations.
He said for promoting Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs, Pakistan High Commission is sponsoring 11 women out of total 40 to participate in the "My Karachi" trade exhibition next month.
He also informed that two media teams would be visiting Pakistan this year for eight weeks training programme.
DCAB president Masud Karim and geneal secretary Raheed Ejaj also spoke.
Source:
Pakistan to strengthen relations with Bangladesh - Babar | TwoCircles.net
