Turkey can be used as bridge for export to EU: Secilmis

KARACHI: Pakistani businessmen can use Turkey as a base to produce their products and export them to European Union (EU).

“We can serve as a bridge for Pakistani businessmen” said Chairman of Iziad Businessmen Association, Izmir, Resul Secilmis and leader of trade delegation from Turkey at Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday.

He said Turkey has access to EU market and 47 percent of its total exports go to this region and Pakistani exporters can utilize this facility. He pointed out political and cultural relations between Turkey and Pakistan were ideal but commercial relations were not matching these ties.

“Pakistan exports goods worth $873 million to Turkey while its import from Turkey were $214 million. Share of trade with Pakistan is 0.3 percent of Turkish total trade with the world. We are trying to enhance commercial relations between the two brethren, he noted.

Secilmis said Turkey was the fast growing country and ranked 16 in the world economies. Our trade volume touched $380 billion mark last year. We export more than 20,000 items to 200 countries, he added.