Karachi: Chairman of the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA), Sheikh Umer Rehan,
welcomed the visit of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to Pakistan along with a high-level
delegation. He highlighted the importance of trade agreements between the two nations in key sectors
such as halal goods, agriculture, IT, and pharmaceuticals.
Speaking at an event organized to congratulate Sheikh Umer Rehan on his election as PVMA chairman,
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Atif Ikram Sheikh, UBG
Patron-in-Chief SM Tanveer, and other prominent business leaders praised the visit. They emphasized
the need to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and Belarus.
Sheikh Umer Rehan stressed the importance of establishing a banking channel between the two
countries to facilitate trade. He also advocated for conducting trade in local currencies to reduce
pressure on foreign exchange reserves and promote economic stability. Rehan further pointed out that
the current trade volume between Pakistan and Belarus is minimal, and he called for the exchange of
trade delegations to explore opportunities and boost commerce.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh underscored the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and
Belarus and welcomed agreements in IT, defense, environmental collaboration, and pharmaceuticals. He
praised Sheikh Umer Rehan’s contributions to Pakistan’s ghee and cooking oil industry, assuring his full
cooperation in strengthening ties with Belarus.
UBG Patron-in-Chief SM Tanveer highlighted that the Belarusian President’s visit, accompanied by
ministers, would create significant trade opportunities. He urged the government to facilitate Pakistani
investors and industrialists in exploring business prospects in Belarus while offering incentives to
Belarusian investors for investing in Pakistan. Such measures, he added, could increase foreign direct
investment in the country.
Prominent business figures including Sheikh Basit Ikram, Nasir Saleem, Amin Dada, Ahmed Ghulam
Hussain, Mian Naveed Ahmed, Kashif Razak, Bilal Mushtaq, Anjum Rehmat, and Arshad Hai also
attended the event, warmly welcoming the Belarusian delegation and expressing optimism for stronger
trade relations.
Sheikh Umer Rehan commended the efforts of Atif Ikram Sheikh and SM Tanveer in addressing the
challenges faced by Pakistan’s business community. He also reiterated his commitment to fostering
economic ties with Belarus for mutual benefit.
The event concluded with a strong consensus among the business leaders to capitalize on the
opportunities presented by the Belarusian delegation’s visit, aiming for long-term economic
collaboration between the two nations.
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