Ali Ashraf Khan, Chairman PCETA has pinned high hopes in Pakistani negotiating team over Free Trade Agreement with Turkey to convince Turkish authorities about the negative effects of high tariff on import of textile made-up from Pakistan. Three years ago Turkey has imposed 42.2 percent Safeguard Measures Duty (SMD) on 130 Pakistani products including apparel, home textile goods and other products. After the announcement of the new duty, buyers of Pakistani products have slashed order by half in some areas.
Though bilateral trade has decreased by 42.2 percent in current year as compared to 2011-12 but our exports have come down from US 906.5 million dollars to 455.8 million dollars that is 50 percent while decrease in imports from Turkey is only one percent.
Ali Ashraf questioned what the relevant departments of government and the relevant trade bodies that usually have ways and means to exert influence have been doing against this? In any case, it is another example of a failed and sloppy economic policy in Pakistan, he mentioned. This is even more unexpected when we know that Turkey is a country that traditionally has not only cordial but extra friendly relations with Pakistan given the strong historical bonds of solidarity. But it seems capitalism has finally reached not only the Turkish economy but the mind set as well that says "only my economic interest is important' forget about friendship and history."
Turkey during the last one decade has gone through a remarkable economic development with growth rates well beyond what it usual these days is in Europe. Turkey is now redirecting their gaze on south and east which is understandable and right. But still it remains to be questioned if such harsh measures like a 43 percent duty on products of a brotherly country are justified. This is what should have been negotiated by Pakistani authorities.-PR
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