Pro Pakistani - 25 May 2022

Pakistan and Gulf Coop Council agree to conclude negotiations on FTA
By Faiz Paracha

Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has agreed to complete the negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

This was agreed upon in a meeting between Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Dr. Nayef Falah M. Al-Hajraf, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, on Wednesday.

The Foreign Minister and the Secretary-General reviewed the status of Pakistan’s cooperation with GCC and its member states.

Recalling the historical linkages, geographical proximity, and cultural affinities between Pakistan and the GCC, the Foreign Minister underscored that Pakistan attached high importance to its fraternal relations with member states of the GCC, both bilaterally and in the GCC.

The Foreign Minister and the Secretary General agreed to explore further avenues for enhancing bilateral trade and economic ties between Pakistan and the GCC, and to strengthen institutional linkages, in line with the Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue. On Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the two sides expressed their determination to conclude the negotiations at the earliest possible.