Asean envoys visit Pakistan Chamber of Commerce
By Rosli Abidin Yahya 

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) envoys to Pakistan, including from Brunei Darussalam, visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in Pakistan last Thursday. The High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Pakistan Haji Mustappa Haji Sirat joined Malaysian High Commissioner Muhammad Hashim Hussein, Indonesia's ambassador Jack Said Gaffar, Philippine Ambassador Jorge Arizabal, Thailand Ambassador Sornsilp Polteja, and Myanmar Ambassador Soe Win, during the visit.

Brunei High Commissioner Haji Mustappa said Pakistan's request for membership of the Asean was still pending along with the applications from another five countries.

Pakistan already has the status of "sectoral dialogue partner" since 1993.

He said Pakistan needed to do a lot more to obtain membership with the organisation.

The envoys urged Pakistani businessmen to explore the business opportunities offered by the Asean countries and to market their products in that region.

"The economic bloc of about 500 million people has immense business opportunity for the Pakistani exporters, and they must take advantage of it by exploring this market for their products," the envoys told the Pakistani businessmen.

They also proposed that Pakistan should hold a single-country exhibition in the Asean states to promote its products and increase trade with the one of the most important economic bloc of the world.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin