Pakistan To Make Malaysia Gateway To ASEAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- Pakistan aims to turn Malaysia into its gateway to the ASEAN market as it has a huge trade potential, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chief executive officer Dzulkifli Mahmud said. He said Pakistan felt that Malaysia was the most suitable country to reach the ASEAN market of 625 million people. "Simultaneously, Matrade also encourages local companies to take advantage of Pakistan's leading edge to gain access to the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation market," he told reporters at the Pakistan Expo 2016, here Friday. Hence, he urged chambers of commerce such as the Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce to visit Pakistan to introduce Malaysian products there. Dzulkifli said among sectors that could be explored by Malaysian companies in Pakistan were halal, animation, and information communication technology products. "Pakistan is an important partner to Malaysia as it is the first country in South Asia that it has a free-trade agreement which sets to boost trade between the two countries (in the long-term)," he added. In 2015, Malaysia's exports to Pakistan dropped 12.9 per cent to US$1.1 billion (US1 = RM4.16) from 2014, while its imports increased 1.6 per cent to US$229.9 million. Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia Syed Hassan Raza was present. Matrade is the national trade promotion agency. --BERNAMA