GILGIT(APP):Sino-Pak border free trade zone has been established at Taxkorgan a border city of China near Pakistan to boost and promote trade between the two friendly countries.
The formal inauguration of this free trade zone was held at the dry port area of Taxkorgan (China) on June 15 where eighty exporters and business community of Pakistan and China living near the border established their stalls.
The Pakistani exporters and traders established forty stalls where country's products including tea, soap and other local products of Northern Areas and other parts of Pakistan were displayed in the exhibition.
The Chinese visitors especially the local population of Taxgkorgan took keen interest in the quality of Pakistani products and these items were purchased in large number.
The exhibition was organized as the follow up meeting and recommendations of Chinese delegation with Chief Secretary Northern Areas held here three months back.
The Free trade zone was jointly inaugurated by Secretary Commerce Northern Areas , Zafar Iqbal and Ling Hong Zing the Senior Deputy Commissioner of Kashgir County in the Xinjiang province of China.
The inaugural ceremony of the exhibition was attended by the members of Pakistani delegation, officials of Kashgir county and large number of the local citizens of Taxkorgan.
Speaking on the occasion Secretary Commerce Zafar Iqbal appreciated the establishment of Sino-Pak free trade zone and expressed the hope this would help boost trade between the two friendly countries.
He said this step would also promote the trade and largely benefit the people of Taxkorgan and Northern Areas, accelerate the economic development and also improve their economic conditions through Sino-Pak trade besides bringing the people of the two countries more close.
The participants of the two countries also called for promotion of trade through Karakoram Highway (KKH) and initiating policies to achieve this objective.
They also stressed the need for providing more trade facilities to the exporters and business community for boosting trade between Pakistan and China for the benefit of its people.
Such facilities, he said would be a win win situation for the business community of the two friendly countries.
The Secretary Commerce Northern Areas suggested that the threshold of Custom free facility for the people of border areas should be enhance from Rs.3000 to Rs.30,000 for the benefit of the people.
He added that a free trade zone to promote trade will also be established at Sust on Pakistani side and he sought the cooperation of China in this regard. Speaking on the occasion, Ling Hong Zing said that establishment of Kashgir Free Trade Zone would help increase the volume of trade between the two friendly countries.
He added that Sino-Pak friendship is time tested and deep rooted and hoped the establishment of the free trade zone would further bolster the bilateral relations in the future as well.
He welcomed Pakistani officials and trade delegation to China and hoped this would help bring the people of the two countries more closer.
The Pakistani delegation comprised Secretary Commerce Northern Areas Zafar Iqbal, Secretary Health Northern Areas Qurban Jan, Wazir Mehdi Chief Executive Inspection Team, Deputy Commissioner Gilgit Zaraq Mirza, Regional Information Officer Nasim Khan, Assistant Commissioner Gilgit Zafar Waqar Taj, President of Northern Areas Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shahbaz Khan Advocate , members of Northern Areas Legislative Council Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman and Muhammad Ali Akhtar. The Pakistani delegation also inked an agreement for promotion of border trade between Pakistan and China.