ISLAMABAD: The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Wednesday demanded immediate revisit of grant of SAARC Visa Exemption Stickers Scheme (SVES) to businessmen for promotion of intra-region trade among member countries, to offset abject poverty, accelerate the pace of progress, development, prosperity and welfare of the people of the region.
Demand to this effect was made by Vice-President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik during a meeting with a delegation of 15- member visiting economic journalists from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan.
He suggested for a liberal SAARC visa policy for businessmen, substantial reduction in sensitive list, removal of para-tariff and non-tariff measures and swift execution of trade facilitation mechanism to ensure accelerated growth in intra-SAARC trade, said a press release.
He said that the private sector was willing to improve the low level of intra-SAARC trade provided the governments in South Asia act as true facilitators and withdraw over-regulations to ensure the free flow of goods and services and enhance mobility of the business people.
He outlined the several activities undertaken by SAARC CCI and sought more interactive session between SAARC CCI and the public sector representatives under SAARC.
Iftikhar Ali Malik stressed that politicians of either countries must work together with dedication to implement liberal policies in the region.
He said regional connectivity was essential for remodeling of policies in line with current global economic address.
The efforts for promoting economic freedom in South Asian countries are scarce. The results are visible interim of higher poverty rate, poor human development index, more dependence on foreign aid, and added that SAARC needs inward looking policies to promote intra regional trends, which were more than 60 percent in the region and pre disintegration of sub continental.
He also suggested that member countries should work to change the region on the pattern of European Union (EU) bloc which will definitely pave the way towards prosperity for the people.
Vice President and Zonal Chairman Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Manzoor ul Haq Malik invited the all visiting foreign economic journalists for another week long visit to Punjab for having long duration interaction with officer bearers of chambers of chambers across the province.
