Huge potential to grow Pakistan- Sri Lanka trade to $5 bln from just $350 mln

The potential for trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is somewhere between US$ 5 to $10 billion but based on the current annual achievement of just $350 million, the two countries need to worked hard to achieve this.
Maj. Gen (rtd) Dr. Shahid Ahmed Heshmat, Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, made these remarks, when he addressed the Forum ‘Bilateral Trade between Sri Lanka and Pakistan’ at the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCC) auditorium on Wednesday.
He said that planning for trade should not be limited to just two, three or five years but plan ahead for 25 years.
Sujeewa Samarweera, President, NCC made the opening remarks.
Continuing Maj. Gen. Heshmet noted that there has been access problems from both sides which is known and could be improved.
He indicated that Pakistan and China are working out a common corridor between the two countries which would see a massive investment of $60 billion, one of the highest in global terms. This could possibly spark apprehensions but these apprehensions are common in such situation, he said while pointing out that there were also apprehensions in Sri Lanka where such issues crop up in Hambantota and in the Port City.
As far as Pakistan and China is concerned this economic corridor is a tremendous investment where with many other developments the 1000 km of road and railway network development connecting Indian Ocean and China would reduce cost and time in accessing exports.
During the question and answer time, some businessmen present pointed out the difficulties they have encountered in obtaining visas to Pakistan.  (Quintus)