RAWALPINDI - The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry is going to organise three-day All Pakistan Chambers Presidents Conference International (APCPCI) on March 11-14 at Gwadar.

This was announced by RCCI president Zahid Latif Khan at a press conference held at Chamber here on Tuesday. Addressing the press conference, Zahid Latif Khan said that it’s an honor and legacy for RCCI that it has been organising this event for the last nine years on regular basis. “This time we picked Gawadar as event venue so that business community can see the development on the ground and get awareness and future aspects of CPEC. The major aim of this conference was to develop a common platform for all chambers and trade associations to raise economic issues at national level, providing suggestions/recommendation to the government related to trade policy, business environment and all issues affecting businesses directly or indirectly, he added.

Zahid Latif Khan said that All Pakistan Chambers Presidents Conference is the most appropriate platform to raise economic issues and talk about the business community’s concerns. He said that the proposed agenda highlights for the upcoming conference includes China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its possible impacts on inter and intra regional trade, connectivity and regional trade integration, trade and investment opportunities in pakistan, inter-regional trade barriers (tariff and non-tarif barriers) and settlement of international trade disputes.

Answering a question related to CPEC, President RCCI said, “No doubt it’s a game changer and it’s our collective responsibility to make it a successful national project. We allotted a full day to discuss CPEC, possible investment and joint ventures with Chinese companies, expansion of industrial zones and infrastructure development and transportation.” He referred to a research report where it says that if China proceeds with just five percent of its trade through CPEC, this will give roughly 6 billion US dollars income annually to Pakistan along with 400 thousand employment opportunities.

RCCI chief said, “We have invited representatives of chamber of commerce of neighbouring countries including China to discuss possible trade and investment opportunities. Economic performance, foreign borrowings, circular debt, trade deficit, fiscal budget and trade policy will also be discussed during the conference.” President Gawadar Chamber of Commerce Mir Naveed Baloch also attended the briefing and on this occasion RCCI inked MoU with Gawadar Chamber related to RCCI upcoming APCPCI 2018.