KARACHI, (DNA) – Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Pakistan, Ali Alizada has said that there was a need to highlight the positive image of Pakistan as it was a common perception abroad and in Azerbaijan as well that Pakistan was not a safe country but this perception proves wrong when foreigners visit Pakistan and find it very ‘safe and beautiful’.

Exchanging views during his visit to Karachi Chamber, Azerbaijani Ambassador added that with a population of around 210 million people, Pakistan was a very attractive market where almost everything can be supplied. “We, at the Embassy of Azerbaijan, are striving hard to promote trade and investment ties between the two countries”, he added.

President KCCI Muffasar Atta Malik, Senior Vice President KCCI Abdul Basit Abdul Razzak, Vice President Rehan Hanif and KCCI Managing Committee members attended the meeting.

The Azerbaijani Ambassador invited the business and industrial community of Karachi to set up their industries, particularly the pharmaceutical units in Azerbaijan’s Free Trade Zone in Baku where they can enjoy numerous facilities in a business friendly atmosphere. “The Pharmaceutical products can not only be supplied to the Azerbaijani market but also to other Central Asian Republics as there was a huge demand for pharma products in the region”, he added.

He sought KCCI’s assistance in finding a suitable and credible partner who could supply rice and textiles in the Azerbaijani market as businessmen were keen to import these products from Pakistan whereas they can also strawberries, grapes and pomegranates to Pakistani market.

Referring to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Ali Alizada said that Azerbaijan and Iran were also working together on a railway project to connect Asia with Europe. “This rail road link is important as it will significantly facilitate and expedite exchange of goods and trade in the region”, he added.

In his remarks, President KCCI Muffasar Atta Malik informed that during Fiscal Year 2017, Pakistan’s export to Azerbaijan stood at $17.06 Million and imports totaled at $0.04 Million. “The business communities of the two brotherly countries have to work together to uplift the negligible trade through more exchanges of trade delegations, constant interactions and other trade promotional activities”, he stressed.

He was of the opinion that both countries need to take effective measures to enhance their bilateral trade ties by increasing communication linkages and elimination of travel restrictions. The two countries also have a potential of joint ventures in construction, pharmaceutical, agriculture and manufacturing sectors, he added.

“Although government-to-government is important but people-to-people and business-to-business interactions are also equally important to improve relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan”, he added.

Appreciating the military and defense cooperation between the two countries, he opined that huge potential exists to enhance trade by exploring trade opportunities in different sectors of the economy including agriculture, information technology, industrial equipment, mines and mineral etc.

Muffasar Malik said that the business and industrial community of Karachi was keen to enhance trade ties with Azerbaijan and in this regard, the Karachi Chamber can collaborate with the Embassy of Azerbaijan to assist in matchmaking, besides seek ways and means of how Pakistani exporters could effectively penetrate into the Azerbaijani market.