Peshawar - The president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Fazal Moqeem Khan, stressed the need for the establishment of business-to-business contacts to enhance bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and the United States.
Addressing the SCCI members during the visit of US Consul General in Peshawar, Shante Moore, to the Chamber House on Tuesday, Fazal Moqeem stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a lucrative destination for foreign investment. He highlighted that the province is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, including oil, gas, hydropower, and minerals, and invited U.S. companies to invest in these sectors through joint ventures.
The meeting was attended by SCCI office-bearers Shehryar Khan, Jalil Jan, former office bearers Fuad Ishaq, Faiz Muhammad, Imran Mohmand, Shahid Hussain, members of the executive committee, the Secretary General of the Chamber, and exporters and trade leaders. US diplomat Shante Moore, while speaking on the occasion, expressed that his country is keen to strengthen commercial relations and partnerships with Pakistan. He specifically mentioned that the U.S. is proactively working for the socio-economic development and prosperity of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s merged districts through joint collaborations and various projects.
The diplomat pledged to continue collaborating with SCCI to strengthen mutual trade and economic relations by bringing the business communities of both countries closer and initiating joint ventures.
Earlier, SCCI chief appraised the participants about investment opportunities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He noted that the prospects for enhancing mutual trade and economic relations between Pakistan/Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the U.S. are promising.
The SCCI chief called upon US companies to invest in sectors such as hydropower generation, oil, gas, mining, honey, marble, furniture, and other potential industries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This would help strengthen bilateral economic and commercial relations between the two strategic partners.
In response to a query, the US Consul General said his country is taking pragmatic steps for the economic development and prosperity of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially its merged districts. He informed that special programs have been launched for skill development and economic empowerment of young men and women, as well as improvements in infrastructure, health, and education in the merged districts.
Shante Moore reiterated his firm commitment to working jointly with the Sarhad Chamber for the economic prosperity and development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly by establishing business-to-business linkages to enhance commercial and economic ties.