Azerbaijan and Pakistan should create a joint commerce and industry chamber to boost bilateral trade and investment, said Ahmad Jawad, chairman of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FPCCI) Standing Committee on Horticulture Exports.

Jawad also called for strengthening communication linkages and removing travel restrictions to boost bilateral trade, the Times of Islamabad reported citing the FPCCI’s statement.

He said that by taking advantage of geo-strategic location of Pakistan, Azerbaijan could export its consignments through Gwadar and other ports of Karachi to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Whereas, he noted, Pakistan could export its value-added agricultural products, like mangoes, dates, fruits, and sports goods to Azerbaijan.

Similarly, the two countries also have a potential to create joint pharmaceutical ventures and manufacture surgical goods, according to Jawad.

He added that Azerbaijan could help Pakistan in energy sector as it has a vast range of renewable energy, including wind, solar and hydro energy.

Pakistan has strong textile base and Azerbaijan could benefit, said the chairman.

Annual trade between the two countries during the past five years ranged from $17 million to $25 million, which did not correspond to the level of existing mutual political goodwill between the two nations, according to Jawad.