Pakistani envoy to the UK, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, has emphasised on European Unions to support for obtaining fair market access to Pakistani products to strengthen economy of the South Asian country badly affected by its role in ongoing war against terrorism spanning over more than three decades.
In his article appearing in the Tuesday's edition of leading British daily 'The Guardian' he asserted that despite the fact Pakistan is making great sacrifices to fight terrorism, its largest trading partner, the European Union, many of whose members are major contributors to Nato forces, does not provide his country a level playing field in terms of access to its markets.
The time has come now for the EU to provide Pakistan with a clear and tangible signal of its willingness to enhance market access for the country, he wrote. Pointing out that poverty tends to create the most vulnerable fodder for radicalisation and extremism, Hasan wrote that strong trading relationship is vital to the both economic prosperity, stability and survival of democracy in Pakistan.
No other developing country in the world has undertaken so much as an ally in the war on terror. Failure to support Pakistan now will only extend the war and the looming global consequences.
None of us wants to contemplate going down that route. The better way is clear but it's in the EU's hands to grant, Hasan said. The High Commissioner said the fighting has also proved very expensive and the West has much more to do to support Pakistan's nascent democracy in delivering its election promises of employment, health and education.
During the current fiscal year, our development budget has been slashed by a third, as we have had to divert funds to shore up our security-related expenditure on the western and eastern frontiers. Pakistan's plummeting economy, the fragility of its democratic institutions, and the difficulties of the civilian administration in re-establishing normal government functions in cleared-up areas like Swat, need the attention of its western allies.
While we are still living with the consequences of the Soviet-Afghan war of 30 years ago, that harrowing resonance has perhaps still not reached the cosy corridors of Washington, London and Brussels.
He pointed out that Pakistan is making significant sacrifices, diverting resources from much-needed investment in infrastructure (transport, communications, education, energy, etc) to the war on terror. This, in turn, discourages foreign participation in the Pakistani economy, so we are losing out to competitors in key sectors.
As if this was not enough, our largest trading partner, the European Union, many of whose members are major contributors to Nato to forces, does not provide us a level playing field in terms of access to its markets. He said there has been a rising trade deficit with the EU since 2005. Many of Pakistan's natural competitors already have, or are negotiating, preferential access to the EU market beyond that enjoyed by Pakistan, a list that includes Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.
EU commitments to reduce tariffs on key agricultural, textile and clothing products in the context of the World Trade Organisation's Doha round have not yet materialised. Pakistan needs US and EU support to shore up domestic political backing to combat extremism and terrorism, he stated.
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