Bilateral trade: businessmen concerned over non-tariff barriers by Indian bureaucracy

Business community on Wednesday expressed concern over non-tariff barriers by Indian bureaucracy in way of bilateral trade and claimed that India considered Pakistan as just a dumping ground.
The issue was raised at a press conference jointly addressed by President-elect Indo-Pak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, S M Munir and President Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Chairman, Standing Committee of FPCCI on Press and Media, at Federation House here.
The trade leaders said the Indian government considered Pakistan a dumping ground as it allows only importing goods from India, but creates hurdles in exports. They said India exports vegetables to Pakistan in 70-80 trucks through Wagha border, but did not allow a single truck to enter its soil.
Moreover, they said in an international trade exhibition held in India, 90 percent stalls were empty, as 44 containers of country goods held up at port for three days.
They said although Pakistan had allowed to open two branches of Bank of India, but the requisition of National Bank of Pakistan is pending for last six months. India had also stopped Air India flights.
They said Pakistan approved a list of 21 goods for imports from India in recent Manmohan-Zardari meeting, but the business community wants balance of trade, otherwise, it feels that this list should be withdrawn immediately.
They said in their recent meeting with Indian officials over violation of Sindh-Tass Water Treaty, they assured the business community that not a single drop of water of Pakistan through Chenab River would be stopped. The business leaders said they did not want to indulge in politics but the government of both countries should make the bilateral trade process smooth.
They said that the bilateral trade has reached $2.3 billion including $1.95 billion imports and only $4 million exports. This trade is being carried out via sea, which is very expensive. Both countries have many roads to continue trade smoothly and cheaply. They demanded of the government to allow trade from Kasur, Bahawalpur, Khokhrapar and Monabao besides easing border restrictions.
They said governments of both countries allowed transportation through wagons, but imposed restriction on containers, adding Pakistan had orders of 0.1 million tonnes of cement from India but due to these restrictions, it could not meet those orders.
S M Munir said that the business community would raise these issues in a meeting with the Prime Minister and the President soon. To a question, he said that the government should grant India Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status. Responding to another question, he said that both the governments have included each other in their negative lists regarding Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).