Federal Advisor on Textile, Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig said on Wednesday the Pakistan government is pursuing Indian government on removal of Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to promote bilateral trade between the two neighbouring countries. He was talking to Business Recorder before leaving to India to attend Pakistan Lifestyle Exhibition in New Delhi from April 12 to 15.
Dr Baig said India has already withdrawn objections to market access to Pakistan in the European Union and Pakistan has reciprocated by restricting negative list to 1100 items to promote bilateral trade. He said there is a strong realization on the part of Indian leadership that NTBs should be removed to promote bilateral trade. He said a conference with the title of nuts and bolts for trade facilitation held where trade barriers relating to quality control and customs rules were examined and Indian policymakers agreed on many proposals.
India has agreed to streamline quality control process with Pakistan besides setting up $30 million customs complex on Wagha Border. Also, he said, a cold storage has been established on Indian side to increase shelf life of perishable goods. He said another gate has also been opened at Wagha Border facilitating transportation of about 80 trucks a day comparing with about eight trucks a day earlier.
Today, he said, India was looking at Pakistani yarn and summer wearing for women besides home textile products. He said the lifestyle would be a great opening for Pakistani brand holders including Gul Ahmed, Alkaram and Junaid Jamsheed who is opening chain of stores in India. It would be first-ever chain of Pakistani garments in India. Dr Baig said Federal Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim will lead Pakistani delegation and Tariq Puri from TDAP would be the chief organiser of the show.
Iftikhar Malik and Tariq Saeed would be representing Pakistan officially there, he mentioned. Dr Baig also praised the efforts of Sarrat Suberwal, Indian HC in Islamabad and Arvind Saxana, Indian Economic and Commercial Counsellor for their co-operation in facilitating Pakistani delegation to India. He said Pakistan delegation consists of 150 members including leading textile groups.