Iranian CG Invites LCCI Suggestion For Barter Trade List

Iranian Consul General (CG) Muhammad Raza Nazri said on Monday that still Pakistan had kept Iran in "C category"in terms of Corona, which was adversely affecting flight operations and bilateral trade

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :Iranian Consul General (CG) Muhammad Raza Nazri said on Monday that still Pakistan had kept Iran in "C category"in terms of Corona, which was adversely affecting flight operations and bilateral trade.

He was talking to LCCI (Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry) President Mian Nauman Kabir, Senior Vice President Mian Rehman Aziz Chan and Vice President Haris Ateeq here at Lahore Chamber.

The Iranian Consul General said that there was no such restriction from the Iranian side so Pakistan should also remove the "C category" for Iran.

He said that Lahore and Quetta Chambers should give their suggestions regarding inclusion or exclusion of the items in barter trade list.

He said that with regard to barter trade, it was decided that rice and denim etc. would be exported from Pakistan to Iran and in return it would buy electricity from Iran but the SBP had refused to facilitate in this regard due to which this case was still pending.

The Consul General said that Iran had abundant with LPG and natural gas which it wants to supply to Pakistan under barter trade, adding now it was up to the Pakistani government to take any step.

He said that considerable facilities had been created for the export of mangoes from Pakistan to Iran so that Pakistani mango exporters could take full advantage of them. He said that Pakistan had imposed 50% duty on Iranian apples while in Afghanistan the duty was 10 per cent.

Pakistan should also reduce this duty, he added.

The Consul General said that Pakistani Consulate in Iran delayed the issuance of visas to Iranians while the Iranian consulate in Pakistan issues without any delay, adding that the Pakistani consulate should also expedite visa process.

He said that there was a lot to trade beyond US sanctions on Iran. He said that Iranian trucks should be allowed to enter into Pakistan.

LCCI President Mian Nauman Kabir said the Iranian Consulate should send all issues related to barter trade to the Lahore Chamber, which would be raised with the PM Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razzaq Dawood.

He said the Lahore Chamber strongly condemned all kinds of terrorism. He said that joint venture between Pakistani and Iranian traders could play an important role in promoting bilateral trade, adding that both the countries should focus on market research and give priority to each other in terms of imports and exports.

Mian Nauman Kabir said that there were some bottlenecks in the way of increasing trade between two countries which were required to be addressed on priority basis.

LCCI Senior Vice President Mian Rehman Aziz Chan and Vice President Haris Ateeq said that the Iranian Consulate should send the Names and other details of the members of the Barter TradeCommittee in writing so that further progress could be made easily. They said that the IranianConsulate should cooperate for the Persian language course in the Lahore Chamber.