Iran-Pakistan economic relations need expansion

Pakistan Ambassador to Tehran Noor Muhammad Jadmani said that in the past years trade exchange between the two countries had decreased and added that economic ties should be expanded, AVA Diplomatic reports.

He made the remarks here on Wednesday in a meeting to study grounds for economic cooperation between South Khorasan and Pakistan, in presence of governor general of the province.

He said that successful talks between Iran and Group 5+1 have prepared grounds for expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Jadmani said that 1.2 billion dollars is the trade exchange level between Iran and Pakistan, which should reach to 5 billion dollars considering appropriate conditions.

He said that his country intends to import electricity from Iran for Pakistan’s Balochistan province.

The ambassador added that rail connection between cities of Quetta in Pakistan, and Zahedan in Iran, is established but it is not steady and it should be developed.

He also said that there exist a Joint Economic Commission between the two countries and Iran’s Interior Minister and Pakistan Minister of Economic and Finance are members of the commission and expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries could be expanded considering the existence of the commission.

Jadmani reminded that Iran has numerous tourist attractions for Pakistanis and many Pakistani citizens travel to Iran for pilgrimage of cities of Mashad and Qom.

The ambassador said that by armed forces operation more than 80 percent of terrorist groups in Pakistan territory have been destroyed and after providing full security, grounds for growth of tourism will be strengthened more than past.

A list on goods with trade tariffs exists between the two countries, so by having such a list the two sides should try to increase goods exchanges.

He said that a joint agreement between China and Pakistan had been signed as economic and trade corridor, which begins from China and ends in Balochistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

China intends to invest more than 34 billion dollars in this plan and considering neighborhood of South Khorasan province it may enjoy the plan too.

Jadmani and accompanying delegation arrived in Birjand on Wednesday and met with members of Chamber of Commerce, economic activists as well as governor general and visited number of historical sites in the town.