LAHORE: Trade between Pakistan and India needs to be extended to other provinces of India instead of Punjab only. Without proper development of infrastructure at Wagha and other borders cent percent trade opening is fruitless.
This was the bottom-line of the deliberations at the Pak–India Business Promotion meeting held at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the Chairmanship of Aftab Ahmad Vohra, Chairman of LCCI’s Standing Committee on Pakistan-India Trade Promotion.
Other members of the committee including Khawaja Khawar, Khawaja Zafar, Rahmatullah Javaid, Mudassar Mansoor, Nabeela Intisar, Imran Shahrazi, Umair Altaf also spoke on the occasion.
Aftab Vohra said that Pakistan-India trade will take its course following the Indian elections. He said that unless the new government in India takes over, nothing exactly can be said about the future of Pakistan-India trade.
Talking about Non-Discriminatory Market Access status in contrast to tariff and non-tariff barriers in India, Vohra said that Indian exports to Pakistan have increased manifolds while Pakistani exporters are facing barriers.
The members urged the government to ask NLC and Customs not to stop export of goods and articles to India in containers unless Indian side of the customs objects it.
They also demanded the government to increase number of trade items from 138 to 350 and trade through other points on border should also be allowed.
They rejected trade with India at the cost of local industry, adding that local industry should fully be protected against the Indian products.
