Pakistani exporters suggest using Chinese bank for trade with Iran

As the existing bilateral trade is based on barter and cash transaction system, the exporters demand from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to sign an agreement with the Chinese bank established in Karachi to facilitate the exports to Iran, Pakistan Today reported.

“Like other countries, we can also do trade with Iran if the Chinese bank’s facility is provided by opening a branch of the same bank in Balochistan,” said Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Vice President Haji Jamaluddin told the Pak news paper.

“There are many countries trading with Iran using third party banking channels. The Pakistani government is neglecting trade with the neighboring countries like Iran and Afghanistan and other countries are grabbing market shares in both these countries,” he said.

“Chinese banks like Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd in Karachi can help exporters here to resolve the transaction issue with Iran in case the SBP signs a memorandum of understanding with the bank as China has good trade with Tehran,” he said, adding that a number of countries are doing business with Iran while carrying out their transactions in Dubai.

Sources told Pakistan Today that Pakistani banks are still shy of carrying out transactions with the Iranian banks and absence of banking channels is the single largest obstacle to enhancing the trade. Nonetheless, the SBP and the central bank of Iran are also in talks for payment arrangements through banking channels.

They said that unfortunately, the SBP, despite its repeated announcement of resolving the banking issue has failed to open a banking channel in Iran to facilitate the exporters. In 2017, SBP had announced that arrangements for establishment of banking channels between Pakistan and Iran have been finalized and soon central banks of both countries will sign an accord.

“Though Prime Minister Imran Khan is presently visiting Iran to enhance the bilateral economic ties, any efforts to restore the banking channels will not be fruitful,” the PAJCCI vice president said. 

MNA/PR