KARACHI: The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) here on Thursday welcomed the WTO waiver for EU concessions granted to certain textile exports from Pakistan post the 2010 floods.
The PBC in its statement recalled that the move to request the EU for a short time market access came about at a meeting that the PBC had with the President of Pakistan in August 2010 which was held to review post flood rehabilitation measures.
It said that at the request of the President of Pakistan, a PBC team comprising its members; namely Bashir Ali Mohammad and Shabbir Diwan accompanied the then Foreign Minister and Zafar Mahmood, Secretary Commerce, to the major European Capitals and Brussels in September 2010 to plead Pakistan's case'.
The PBC in its statement noted that though it had taken nearly 18 months for the concessions to materialize it in no way demeans the sustained efforts of the President of Pakistan, as well as those of the Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, the Minister of Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the Secretary Foreign Affairs, Salman Bashir, the Secretary Commerce, Zafar Mahmood, Tariq Puri Chairman of TDAP as well as the PBC members led by Bashir Ali Mohammad.
The PBC also acknowledged the support that was extended by Pakistan's friends in the EU Parliament especially Sajjad Karim, Member European Parliament for liaisioning between the various EU parliamentarians and the PBC/GOP to garner and maintain continued support for this concession.
Asad Umar, Chairman PBC, hoped that the working relationship developed between the PBC and the GOP on trade will continue as Pakistan strives for GSP Plus status for its exports to the EU.
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