KARACHI – Major General Farrukh Shahzad Rao, the Director General of the National Logistics Cell (NLC),
has declared NLC’s commitment to expanding trade ties with Central Asia, Russia, China, and Tashkent,
emphasizing the burgeoning demand for Pakistani goods in these regions. This vision was shared during
his address to industrialists at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).
In attendance were KATI President Faraz-ur-Rehman, Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice
President Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim Mohammadi, Standing Committee Chairman Fawad
Sheikh, Former President Sheikh Fazal-e-Jalil, Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui, Syed Farukh Mazher and other
senior officials and members.
Major General Farrukh Shahzad Rao underscored the NLC’s status as Pakistan’s largest logistics
organization and highlighted its pivotal role in constructing vital communication and road infrastructure.
He stressed NLC’s determination to facilitate businesses in delivering their products to markets in China,
Russia, and, notably, Tashkent. The NLC is keen to extend its support to KATI manufacturers in this
endeavor. Major General Farrukh Shahzad Rao appointed KATI Vice President Muslim Mohammadi as
the focal point for liaising between the NLC and industrialists.
Furthermore, Major General Farrukh Shahzad Rao revealed that currently, only seven companies
operate on international routes in Pakistan. Despite this limited number, they manage to transport
goods from Sialkot to Kazakhstan within a mere 16 days, a journey that used to span over two months.
KATI President Faraz-ur-Rehman welcomed the NLC’s focus on trade promotion, highlighting the
historical difficulties faced by Pakistani products in accessing Central Asian markets due to a lack of
banking channels. He stressed that this gap hindered trade between Russia and Tashkent and led to
smuggling of Pakistani products abroad. He expressed optimism that NLC’s efforts to enable Pakistani
products to reach Central Asia, Russia, China, and Tashkent within 14 days would not only boost exports
but also significantly increase foreign exchange reserves. He urged the government to promptly
establish banking channels with Russia and other Central Asian countries, facilitating the repatriation of
exporters’ earnings. Faraz-ur-Rehman also acknowledged NLC’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
efforts, highlighting the potential for development in the Korangi Industrial Area through these funds.
Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya commended NLC’s advanced technology, logistics, and
engineering capabilities, noting the positive impact on the Pakistani economy since NLC’s involvement in
logistics previously dominated by unscrupulous elements. He expressed enthusiasm for future
collaboration and urged KATI members to support NLC’s transition from a national company to an
international organization.
Chairman of the Standing Committee, Fawad Sheikh, emphasized the importance of logistics for a
country’s development and encouraged NLC to extend its services to small and medium-sized industries.
He believed that such an expansion would greatly benefit trade, especially for smaller industrialists.
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