LAHORE - “Knowing each other always helps establish good trade and economic relations. Finland is a market with just over 5.5 million people but the composite Nordic market of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland is over 27 million which makes Nordic market 5th largest economy in Europe. This was upshot of the speeches delivered at a seminar on “Unlocking the Hidden Potential of Pakistan-Finland” here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Honorary Consul General of Pakistan to Finland Wille Eerola, LCCI Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigal, Tehmina Saeed Chaudhry and other experts spoke on the occasion. All the experts were of the view that Finland and Pakistan have a huge scope to expand cooperation in metal, machinery, textile, electronics, foodstuff, chemicals and various other sectors of the economy and role of private sector has key importance in this regard. They said that joint venture opportunities exist in the field of power generation and for development of biomass technology.

 Finnish equipment and technologies can help exploit Pakistan’s full potential in agriculture, horticulture, dairy and livestock sectors. The experts suggested that it is necessary that both countries have access to each other’s markets to further expand commercial and economic ties. This will definitely lead both sides to a more strengthened and stable economic partnership. They said that private sectors of the two countries should focus on interaction in order to develop close linkages.

They said that Pakistan can partner with Finnish technological think tank for development of technological industry in Pakistan. Over 400 Finnish companies are currently operating in South Asian Region and had made substantial investment in this part of the world and business community here is of strong hope that more Finnish investors would divert their attention towards Pakistan in coming days.