Pak-Iran trade to reach $5bn in coming years: Pak adviser

EghtesadOnline: Pakistan Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has informed the National Assembly that volume of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran would reach $5 billion in coming years.

News ID: ۷۳۶۶۶۷

06 September 2016

Responding to a question, he said Pak-Iran trade volume was around $1.6 billion annually before international sanctions on Iran, which was reduced to less than one billion.

He said during the meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani it was agreed to enhance the trade between two countries, reports IRNA.

Banking system between Iran and Pakistan had become functional while work on Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline had also started, he added.

Commenting on Pak-Afghan border issues, the Adviser said Pakistan shared 2,600- kilometer long porous border with Afghanistan. Owing to cultural proximity, the cross-border movement was quite frequent as around 40,000 to 50,000 people crossed the border daily, however, most of the movements were regulated, he added.

He said to streamline cross-border movement, Pakistan was implementing border management measures, including setting up gates and installation of wires at the border crossing points.

To another question, Sartaj Aziz said there were 1,448 Pakistani prisoners in the jails of Saudi Arabia and the country’s missions were taking various steps to help them.