Pakistan on Tuesday night put off the annual Joint Ministerial Commission's (JMC) meeting with Turkey scheduled for Wednesday (today) because the Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Secretary Commerce, Zafar Mahmmood were inexplicably not allowed to proceed abroad, well informed sources told Business Recorder.
"JMC has been postponed till March 2012 as Minister has not been allowed to go abroad due to Senate elections and the Prime Minister did not approve the summary of Secretary Commerce," the sources added. Pakistan is not interested in Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Turkey as the latter's offered a list is not beneficial to Islamabad. However, analysts maintain that the delegation should have been allowed to proceed to Turkey to attend JMC as the postponement of an important bilateral meeting would send negative signals.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, former Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif are the key leaders of the country who have visited Turkey in the recent past. According to political analysts, Turkey's top leadership has also played a pivotal role in generating harmony between President Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, and with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Turkish ambassador to Pakistan Hizlan Babur recently announced in Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry that PTA will be inked early this year as the list of goods to be traded between the two countries is being finalised.