24/03/2012 (Bernama) - Pakistani High Commissioner to Malaysia Masood Khalid hopes more Malaysian companies will invest in Pakistan so that the gap in bilateral trade can be reduced.

He said it might not be easy to achieve this goal but it can be done with the cooperation between the two governments.

"We are buying a lot of palm oil from Malaysia. What Malaysia can do in return, for example, is initiate more construction projects in Pakistan," he told a press conference after a flag-hoisting ceremony at the High Commission here in conjunction with the 72nd Pakistan Day celebrations.

"Malaysian companies have expertise in the construction field. So I think they can pick up a few more projects in Pakistan," he added.

Trade between Malaysia and Pakistan reached US$2.8 billion last year, a 14 per cent increase, compared with 2010. However, Pakistan's exports to Malaysia stood only at US$257 million, tilting bilateral trade in Malaysia's favour.