ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The volume of total bilateral trade between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan stood at US$ 1.864 million in 2019-2020, the Minister for Commerce told the National Assembly.
To a question by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) lawmaker Sheikh Rohale Asghar, the Minister for Commerce told the Lower House in writing on Friday that Pakistan’s major exports to Kyrgyzstan are medicament mixtures, razors and razor blades, instruments, and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental, fruit & vegetable juices, unfermented.
While Pakistan’s major imports from Kyrgyzstan include dried vegetables and live animals.
The Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan bilateral trade statistics are given as under:
However, the House was told that the Ministry of Commerce has taken the following measures to increase trade with Kyrgyzstan:
- The Kyrgyz side during the third Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) expressed interest in benefitting from Pakistan’s experience in exports to the European Union (EU). Pakistani side agreed to share experience and provide technical assistance to the Kyrgyz Republic on GSP+. Kamal Shahryar (Advisor in TRAP on GSP+ implementation) visited Bishkek and training was arranged for Kyrgyz officials and private sector for two days on October 15-16, 2018.
- The Ministry of Commerce has proposed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the State Agency on Investment and Export Promotion of the Kyrgyz Republic. The MoU calls for cooperation in trade exhibitions training tours for entrepreneurs, business forums, exhibitions, and fairs;
- The draft MoU on the establishment of the Joint Working Group to enhance trade cooperation has been shared with the Kyrgyz Republic. However, the response of the Kyrgyz side is awaited.
- The Kyrgyz delegation participated in Pakistani Trade Fairs and Exhibitions EXPO Pakistan 2017 and TEXPO 2019, and Pakistani companies are also participating in trade events in the Kyrgyz Republic.
- The Ministry of Commerce is trying to operationalize Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement.
