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Bahrain, Pakistan to boost trade relations

MANAMA - Joint initiatives between Bahraini and Pakistanis governments have started to further improve bilateral trades that reached to $250 million last year.

The Pakistani Ambassador to Bahrain Ikramullah Mehsud told Khaleej Times that those initiatives would focus on attracting Bahraini businessmen to invest in agricultural projects in Pakistan, while their Pakistani counterparts would be motivated to improve their shares in the booming real estate sector in the Kingdom.

"Bahrain is seeing Pakistan as good agricultural investment potentials, especially that food crises are affecting everyone and expected to remain for some years, while Pakistani businessmen are eyeing on Bahrain's property market because of the facilities the government is offering for foreign investors," the newly appointed envoy said.

Mehsud said that Pakistan was the fourth largest country in dairy products. The chances of joint ventures in the dairy-related industry are very bright and prospective investors from the Bahrain side will establish a strong base even for re-export to some other countries. "We can feed the Middle East market provided as facilities like packaging are made available to the dairy sector."

He said that besides real estate, Pakistani businessmen are also focusing on banking and trades.

Mehsud said the three-pronged strategy aimed at enhancing trade, bringing in a skilled and semi-skilled workforce and setting up a trade-expo centre would help to take the existing ties to new highs. "We want to attract Bahrainis to our exportable items as Pakistan could be a preferred import market for Bahraini businesses."

The ambassador said the idea of hosting a one-country expo in Bahrain will be a major step forward in enhancing trade and investment ties between the two countries.