During a recent visit by Emomali Rahmon, President of Republic of Tajikistan to Pakistan, Saleem Mandviwalla, Chairman Board of Investment, Pakistan, announced setting up of a cement plant to boost the bilateral ties between the two countries, while addressing a business forum of entrepreneurs. The plant if established will be the first cement plant to be built by Pakistan in Tajikistan. On the occasion, the Tajikistan Minister for Economic & Trade Affairs, Farrukh Hamraliev, said that his country is a growing economy and has achieved macro-economic stability after gaining independence in 1991. He further added that the external trade and currency operations have been liberalised. Small and medium business enterprises are fully privatised while restructuring and corporatisation of big state enterprises are underway. The minister hoped that investments will lead to growing outputs in real sectors of economy. "This will enable diversification of Tajikistan’s export potential, which at present heavily depends on aluminum and cotton industries," he stated.