According to Syed Naveed Qamar, minister of commerce, the business community and private sector has to play a significant part in bringing the goal of improved trade relations between Pakistan and the United States to fruition.
In conversations with American Apparel and Footwear Association executives and representatives of Pakistan’s top companies at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, he stated that Pakistan was eager to deepen its economic ties with the US. The Minister stated that the Government was committed to not only assisting the business community in any way possible, but also to putting in place policies that could meet the needs of the business community and the global market.
The Minister suggested that in order to address current issues and achieve greater market penetration, the private sector should develop creative ideas and solutions. He claimed that increasing product variety while maintaining high standards for affordability, quality, and competitiveness would help Pakistani goods gain a larger share of the global market. The Minister additionally exhorted US businesspeople to actively participate in the TEXPO exhibition, which will take place at the end of May this year. Stephen Lamar, president and chief executive officer of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, Nate Harmen, Beth Hughes, vice president for trade and customs policy, Hun Quach, director of policy and advocacy for Levi Strauss & Co., and Greg Snipes, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Royce Too LLC, made up the delegation. Other participants included Ahmed Fraz, Steve Pianowski, Irfan Hassan, Shelley Rider (Interloop), and Nishat Chunian actor Steve Pianowski.
Pak Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan also joined the meeting.
The meeting discussed in detail matters relating to bilateral trade in cotton and textiles with a special focus on strengthening of Pak-US trade relations, institutionalization of mutual linkages, standardization, traceability and visibility of products and facilitation of the business community.
