Diplomatic Forum organized an interactive session to promote bilateral trade between Pakistan and Republic of Turkey with H.E. TOLGA UCAK, Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Karachi on 21st February, 2019 at Movenpick Hotel Karachi in collaboration with Special Economic Zone Management Company, Investment Department, Government of Sindh. Mr. Abdul Azeem Uqaili, Chief Executive, SEZMC also consented to be the Guest of Honor for this ceremony. He promoted the SEZMC and other related projects of Investment Department, Government of Sindh. During his speech he said,

“The Government of Sindh has been working on multiple initiatives to institutionalize Sindh’s SEZ entity and to form robust legal and regulatory and investment friendly framework for creating an enabling environment and ensure investor protection. The Government of Sindh has established Sindh Economic Zones Management Company (SEZMC), a provincial SEZ Entity under Company’s Act 2017 to institutionally facilitate, promote, encourage and enhance the industrial base in the province.”

Various eminent personalities took active part in the session including Mr. Muhammad Asif Haroon, Founder President, Diplomatic Forum for Socio Eeconomic Foundation, Commercial Consul of the Republic of the Gambia (Hon),  Mr. Muzaffar Shaikh, DIG Police, Engr. MA Jabbar, Chairman, Pakistan Steel Mill, Prof. Dr. Shahida Wizarat, Chairperson Advisory Board, Diplomatic Forum, Birg. Tariq Khalil, Defence & Economic Analyst, Mr. Ibrahim Kasumbi, Former Senior Vice President, KCCI and other eminent personalities from the business committee.

The program started with the welcome speech of Prof. Dr. Shahida Wizarat where she communicated the objective of Diplomatic Forum for Socio Economic Foundation and also about the projects that the Forum has initiated for the National interest.

This interactive session was hosted by Mr. Mubeen A. Durrani, Founder Member & Head of Marketing & External Affairs, Skills Valley.

This interactive session facilitated local business community to interact with foreign diplomats and investors to explore and prospect business possibilities and favorable trade for the betterment of economy. During the session, participants discussed and shared their views about trade and how to boost import and export for the well-being of the both countries.

Many important topics like Investment opportunities on Pakistan and Turkey, Statistics about the Trade, Bilateral relations between the two countries were discussed.

H.E. TOLGA UCAK, Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Karachi in his speech appreciated Diplomatic Forum for its efforts to promote trade between the two countries.

In his speech, he said “As a Turkish Diplomat in Karachi is something very valuable. First of all I would like to Thanks all the speakers and specially the organizers of this session and to make this gathering and to unify and show how the Turkey & Pakistan dosti has improved. I would like to take this opportunity to share some statistics about the bilateral trade between Pakistan & Turkey. In 2016 Turkey’s export to Pakistan was 246 Million US Dollars and in the year 2018 it was 462.19 million USD. It is a remarkable change. And Pakistan’s export to Turkey was 263 Million USD in 2016 which by 2018 has increased to 330 Million USD.”

He further promoted the special zones in Turkey and invited all the members of Diplomatic Forum to visit Turkey and enhance trade between these countries.

Mr. Muhammad Asif Haroon, Founder President, Diplomatic Forum for Socio Economic Foundation concluded the session by thanking all the distinguished guests and said,

“I am grateful to all the Managing Committee members & I would also like to appreciate to all Dignitary Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen for their presence and support for making this event a valuable one.

I hope that the session organized today was informative and will help in enhancing trade between Pakistan and Turkey. We will also be organizing sessions of similar kinds in the future.”