Saarc Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) can play a pivotal role in deepening and widening economic and regional co-operation with special focus on stamping out the ever increasing menace of terror in the region.
Talking to a high level delegation of SCCI here on Saturday, Vice President SCCI, Pakistan chapter and veteran trade leader Iftikhar Ali Malik said that SCCI has fully supported the government-industry partnership and remained engaged in dialogue with governments of the SAssrc region. He said that successful Saarc conference in Islamabad will be a one good step towards help normalization of the relations between the two nuclear states.
He stated that SCCI was established in 1985 with a main agenda to promote regional and economic co-operation in South Asia, however, political tensions and development constraints that the region has faced over the years played a decelerating role in economic integration of South Asia.
He said that if all Saarc member countries pool and harness their indigenous resources, it will definitely help improve socio economic conditions and welfare of their respective people.
The intra-regional trade figures for South Asian are disappointing as trade in the region constitutes is only 1.4 per cent of the total world imports and 1.2 per cent of exports, whereas merchandise trade is only 27.9 per cent of GDP, the lowest in the world.
Iftikhar said that World Development Indicators have revealed South Asia houses 1.4 billion world's population thus representing a large workforce, tremendous business and investment opportunities.