SIALKOT-Commercial Counselor of Embassy of Russia in Pakistan Mr Sergey Baranov has said that Russia was keen to establish strong bilateral trade relations with Pakistan.
He pledged full cooperation from Russia to remove all the hurdles to ensure easy access of Pakistani exports to international trade markets of Russian and Central Asian.
He stated this while addressing a meeting of the Sialkot exporters held at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). The Russian Counselor said that Russia was also keen to develop the strong business-to-business contacts between the businessmen of both Pakistan and Russia besides making sincere efforts to explore the mutual trade potential.
He showed keen interest in the Sialkot-made sports goods and surgical instruments during his visit to several leading industrial units in Sialkot. He witnessed the production process of the sports goods and he highly hailed the international standard craftsmanship of the Sialkot based artisans.
He said that the Russia is intending to boost the mutual trade ties with Pakistan besides making all out sincere efforts to remove hurdles from the way of smooth promotion and strengthening the mutual trade between Pakistan and Russia.
SCCI President Zahid Latif Malik presided over the meeting. SCCI Vice President Abid Ahmed Khawaja, Dr. Mariyam Nouman (Chairman SCCI's Departmental Committee on Women Entrepreneurs), Waqas Akram Awan and other also attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, SCCI President Zahid Latif Malik stressed need of establishing a proper and well-planned banking channel between Pakistan and Russia. He said that the mutual trade and business could never be developed without developing any proper banking system in Russia as well.
The SCCI president added that the prolonged lack of proper banking system was the main obstacle in the way of promotion of mutual /bilateral trade between Pakistan and Russia.

Chinese experts review health project

SIALKOT-A Chinese experts’ team visited the site of Allama Iqbal Specialized Hospital Sialkot project and reviewed various aspects of the project.
Kh Muhammad Safdar Medical College (KMSMC) Principal Zafar Ali gave a detailed briefing to the Chinese experts. He said that the Punjab government has already approved a special development grant of Rs8 billion for establishing eight-storey Allama Iqbal Specialized Hospital Sialkot.
He added that this hospital would be 500 beds state-of-the-art hospital which would be established adjacent to the Govt. Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital Sialkot under the supervision of the Chinese experts. He said that this mega project would be completed in a stipulated period of next four years. The Punjab government was spending Rs8 billion on the project for providing the international standard advanced medical and health facilities at local level.