Pakistan and Turkey must take steps to achieve $2 billion trade target: Prime Minister of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: August 8, 2012:  Prime Minister of Pakistan Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that Pakistanvalues her close and time-tested friendship with Turkey and is strongly committed to further deepen, broaden and strengthen its partnership with Turkey in every field.

He remarked that our excellent political relations should translate into a qualitative up-gradation of our bilateral economic and commercial ties.

The Prime Minister expressed these views while talking to Mr. Mustafa Babur Hizlan, Ambassador of Turkey, who called on him at the PM House today.

The Prime Minister stressed that in order to achieve the mutually agreed trade target of $ 2 billion by the end of this year; we need to create facilitative mechanisms and opportunities for our private sectors.

The Prime Minister further desired that the two brotherly countries should now fast track the conclusion of Pakistan-Turkey PTA.

He invited Turkish investors to make investments in Pakistan, adding that the country would welcome Turkish investment in key sectors such as infrastructure, housing, engineering, energy agriculture, telecommunication and mining.

The Turkish Ambassador assured the Prime Minister that he would work to further deepen cooperation between Pakistanand Turkey in all fields for benefit of peoples of two countries.