Islamabad has urged Tehran to rationalise high rate of tariffs and remove non-tariff barriers, which are negatively impacting on Pakistani exports, a senior official in the Commerce Ministry told Business Recorder Wednesday.
"We have taken up the difficulties being faced by Pakistani exporters with the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mashallah Shakeri, who met Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Tuesday," the sources added. Pakistan, he said, was not being given a level playing field by the Iranian authorities because of stringent quarantine requirements.
"Pakistan has proposed that a meeting of the joint trade committee, constituted under Pakistan-Iran Economic Commission, should be convened immediately to resolve trade related issues, including enlargement of preferential trade agreement (PTA)," the sources added.
The minister, however, expressed satisfaction on the increase in existing trade volume of 770 million dollars between the two countries during 2007-08 where Pakistan's exports grew by 27 percent and Iranian exports grew by 37 percent, says an official statement.
Iran, the sources said, offered financial assistance to Pakistan for improvement of road links between both the countries, besides early materialisation of Iran Pakistan gas pipeline, the official added.
The Iranian Ambassador emphasised stronger cultural and economic ties between the two countries and offered assistance to Pakistan in the areas of energy, trade and infrastructure. "The Iranian Ambassador offered Pakistan power and gas, hoping Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project would soon become reality s," the sources added.
Shakeri revealed that Iran intended to work on all infrastructure projects, including rail and road, adding that Quetta-Zahidan rail link needed to be improved for facilitating connectivity between Pakistan up to Turkey via Iran, the official further added.
According to sources, the Minister assured the Iranian Ambassador that he would discuss this with the Prime Minister and colleagues in relevant ministries to expedite discussions on the ongoing projects, like IPI, railways link and road improvement.
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