Prem Malik, leader of the Indian textile delegation and vice-chairman, Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council, Mumbai, has suggested that a textile sector-working group be formed comprising five members from India and five from Pakistan to sort out problems in trade between the two countries and suggest a way to resolve them.
Speaking at a meeting of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) on Friday, he said that the term of reference of this working group will be decided with consultation with each other and the same will be sent for approval of Indian and Pakistan government.
Prem Malik said that he would send names of five members on return to India. He said: " We are here to join hands with Pakistan business community to work together to compete challenges of globalisation and not to compete with each other."
He said: "The world is changing very fast and we should supplement and complement each others in order to remain in world market."
Prem Malik demanded that a list of trade items between the two countries be expanded and number of items in the positive list be increased whereas the negative list should be shortened.
He also demanded that Pakistan should give the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India to facilitate increase of trade between the two countries.
He suggested that trade between India and Pakistan should be allowed through land to reduce the cost of transportation.
He pointed out that there was a fear among the Pakistan business community that India is a very big country and it may hit Pakistan industrial and trade sector with the opening of trade between the two countries.
He advised the business community of Pakistan to give up this fear and work aggressively to capture the big Indian market and frequently visit India to see the market requirement and the existing business opportunities.
He urged Indian and Pakistani governments to ease visa issuing process to increase interaction of peoples of both the countries.
He said that India was producing all kinds of yarn and it could supply the same to Pakistan at a competitive price.
The leader of the Indian textile team informed that he has discussed the visa issue with the Indian High Commission officials in Pakistan and they have informed him that they are issuing visa for the business community in 21 days.
He said: "India is also introducing visa application drop boxes at FedEx centres to facilitate visa seekers to get visa easily.
Welcoming the guests, Imran Ali Sabir, Chairman PHMA, said, "the opening up of the world in 2005 poses challenges both for India and Pakistan and both of them have to think positively, constructively and untidily to face the challenge of tomorrow." "We will have to think collectively in terms of opportunities and challenges affecting both of us in the global market," he added.
Comments
Comments are closed.