On 15th July 2022, I had the opportunity of attending the launching ceremony of the Pakistan Pavilion organized by the fantastic Malaysia International Retail and Franchise Exhibition (MIRF), at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, to celebrate the launching of Pakistan Pavilion. The Festival was collectively organized by the Pakistan High Commission and Agriculture Department of Punjab, Pakistan and there was the delegation of officers of the Agriculture Department and delegates from Pakistan.
Malaysia and Pakistan have a long history of brotherly relationships. In today’s world, this brotherhood can grow even stronger if they are tied together in economic relationships. As an
attendee of the event, I can see the mutual effort to increase mutual trade between both countries, and a good number in trade in the last two years were shared i.e. Pakistan’s exports to Malaysia have increased from 164 million US Dollars to 460 million US Dollars in the last 3 years. In comparison, imports from Malaysia have increased from 1056 million US Dollars to 1263 million US Dollars during the same period. This has taken the total trade between both countries from 1220 million USD to 1723 million USD.
I could see that just in a short span of three years, Pakistan’s trade with Malaysia amongst all the ASEAN countries has crawled from the fifth rank up to the first rank and if we all synergize our efforts and resolve to enhance these numbers further by at least 50% during the next 2 years. The event started with Her Excellency Madam Amna’s welcome speech and then Chief Guest of the event Dato’ Haris Fadzilah Hassan, Group Managing Director of Bernas said a few words about the event as Dato’ Haris and his team in Berans, facilitated increasing export of rice from Pakistan to Malaysia 30 million a year to 180 million a year during last three years with High Commission of Pakistan Kuala Lumpur. There were a lot of companies from Malaysia’s Agriculture sector attended the event and while interacting with them, I could realize they were excited to expand more opportunities within both countries.
I believe more events like this should be arranged not only to celebrate the trade between both countries but also to create awareness for the new investors and professionals and know the effort Malaysia Pakistan Business Council and High Commission putting to create a long-term bilateral economic relationship.