Pakistan may get EU waiver on 75 items: Amin

Federal Minister for Commerce Amin Fahim said on Friday that World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting would be held on February 1, wherein Pakistan is likely to get European Union wavier for 75 items, as promised after the floods in 2010. Addressing a press conference, Minister said that it is expecting that no quota would be imposed on any of 75 commodities.
The government addressed the concerns of other countries, he added. On a question regarding Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement, Amin Fahim said that tracking device is not facilitated yet and concerned departments are working on it. Under Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement, only civilian commodities are transported, he added.
He further said that Indian trade delegation headed by its Commerce Minister Anand Sharma would visit Pakistan from February 13 wherein trade related agreements are likely to be signed by two countries. "The government is taking all stakeholders including army on board in devising trade policy with neighbouring country India", said Commerce Minister. He said that Indian Commerce Minister would hold meetings with business community in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi during his visit from February 13 to 16 or 17.
Secretary Commerce Zafar Mahmood informed that Pakistan and India might sign agreements including customs co-operation, certification of goods and to redress the exporter grievances during the visit of Indian Commerce to Pakistan. Amin Fahim said that government had decided principally for granting Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, however, it could not be practical until a negative list of trade exist between the two countries according to the WTO rules, he added. The government would safeguard the local industry before granting MFN status to India, the minister maintained.
The government is working in collaboration of Institute of Business Administration (IBA) to finalise the negative list for trade with India, which would be tabled in the cabinet meeting in February 2012 for approval. The Commerce Minister said that prices of pharmaceutical are much higher in Pakistan than India, therefore, we want that Indian medicines should come in the country so competitive environment be produced in the country and people might get benefit from it, he said and added. "We are negotiating with the business community to address their concerns regarding MFN".
Talking about the protection to the local industry after MFN, the Secretary Commerce said that government could impose additional duty on the import according to the rules of WTO as already done by some other countries. Indian exporters'' exhibition would be held in Lahore from February 11 to 13.