“Steel should be part of the list of Preferential Tariff Agreement (PTA) between Pakistan and Turkey.” This was demanded by Karachi Iron & Steel Merchants Association (Kisma) President Shamoon Bakir Ali, who is leading a 17-member delegation comprising steel manufacturers and importers, during visit to Turkey on the invitation of Turkish Steel Exporters Association.
He said Pakistan was importing over 3.5 million tons of steel from different steel exporting countries, whereas its steel imports from Turkey was not even five percent of its total imports. Turkey is the second biggest steel producer after Germany, with a current producing capacity of 34 million tons of steel.
“There is an urgent need of signing of PTA between Pakistan and Turkey and steel should be made an integral part of the items that Pakistan can import from Turkey under PTA”, he demanded. The delegation comprises Pipe and Tube manufacturers, Re Rollers, Engineering companies and fabricators as well as Steel importers. This is the first ever steel buying mission to go abroad, which is in continuation of the 30-member delegation of Turkish Steel Exporters Association that visited Pakistan in March 2012.
Kisma has been in close liaison with the Turkish Steel Sector and has been acting as a bridge between the two countries to enhance the bilateral trade, Shamoon. During their one week visit, the delegation will be visiting several steel mills in Istanbul and Iskenderun, besides meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Economy in Ankara.
“We can have the best quality of steel products from Turkey as their mills follow European standard. Turkey can supply Pakistan with Steel Billets and Flat Rolled products which are commonly imported by commercial as well as industrial community in Pakistan as raw material for further processing”, he said.-PR
