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| Sunday, 15 May 2005 |
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Pakistan HC to have commercial envoy by Rashomi Silva Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka is soon to have a commercial envoy to look into the commercial and economical aspect of the bilateral relations between the two countries, whilst preparations were under way in Islamabad to hold its first ever single country (Sri Lanka) exhibition by the end of this year, the High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohmad told the Sunday Observer yesterday. "With the Free Trade Agreement expected to be in full swing by early next month we have decided to get the service of an official to look into the commercial aspect of the relations between our two countries," he said. Growth in trade could be registered even before the signing of the agreement as the Trade between Sri Lanka and Pakistan hit the highest figure for five years in the two year trade 2003-04 reaching USD 146.26 million, while an over 50 percent growth was registered in the Pakistan imports to SL during the first quarter of the current fiscal year (2004-05)to the corresponding period last year, the Pakistan High Commission said. According to the High Commission statistics Pakistan imports to Sri Lanka has exceeded USD 28.6 million as compared to USD 18.7 million the corresponding period last year- an increase of USD 9.9 million (52.96). Colombo office viewed this as a positive sign and described the single country exhibition held in BMICH as a high success. "Sri Lanka being a small country with the economy size of USD 18 billion has not figured prominently on the radar screen of our exporters. Similarly Sri Lankan traders too have limited interaction with their Pakistani counterparts are not aware of Pakistani's export potentials, but the trade fair gave business communities of both countries an opportunity for an interaction" the spokesperson for the high commission Z. A. Barlas said. |
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