Karachi, October 18, 2019: A delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) under the leadership of Engr. Daroo Khan Achakzai President FPCCI has left for Colombo, Sri Lanka to attend 78th SAARC Chamber Commerce and Industry’s Executive Committee meeting and sideline activities including Regional Trade Conference and SAARC Women Business Leadership Summit.
The theme of the Conference is “Regional Economic Integration: A Catalyst for Socio Economic Prosperity of South Asia”. During the meeting, the President FPCCI will discuss current situation of regional trade and also highlight trade bottleneck among SAARC countries. Apart from Pakistan, SAARC-CCI events will be attended by Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka etc.
In a press statement, the President FPCCI stated that SAARC region being the world’s most vibrant area in terms of demographic dividend, diversity, culturally and historical ties is one of the least integrated areas in the world. SAARC region established in 1985 comprises 1.8 billion people with GDP US$ 3.5 trillion and 40% poverty. Almost more than 55% of intra-SAARC imports remain subject to tariff, para-tariff and non-tariff barriers despite enactment of SAFTA (a free trade agreement) which is the reason that intra-regional trade still stood at 5%.
SAARC Women Business Leadership Summit will also be held to be followed by seminar, B2B and exhibitions. This year, SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneur Council (SCWEC) chair will be handed over to Afghanistan from Sri Lanka. Zubia Zubair, Hina Mansab, Lala Rukh and Saba William from Pakistan will participate in Summit from Pakistan.
The delegation comprises Sr. Vice President SAARC-CCI Iftikhar Ali Malik, Former Presidents FPCCI Zubair Ahmed Malik and Zubair Tufail, Vice Presidents FPCCI Arshad Jamal and Muslim Muhammedi, Former Vice President FPCCI Hameed Akhtar Chadda, Saifuddin Zoomkawala, Nasir Mehmood Life Member of SAARC-CCI and others members of SAARC-CCI Executive Committee (Pakistan Chapter).
