Biden urged to extend scope of duty-free market access bill to entire Pakistan

LAHORE: Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Pak-US Business Council on Wednesday vehemently urged US President Jeo Biden to extend the scope of zero duty free market access US Bill to whole of Pakistan rather than specifically focusing exclusively on war torn border areas.

It was stated by Iftikhar Ali Malik, founder Chairman Pak-US Business Council and President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry here while chairing high level core committee meeting of United Business Group. Prominent among others were FPCCI Vice Presidents Muhammad Arif Yousaf Jeewa, Raja Muhammad Anwar, Adeel Siddiqui and Muhammad Nawaz.

He said US Senate moved a bill “Pakistan-Afghanistan Economic Development Act” on last Friday to establish duty-free export zones along the Pak-Afghan Border.” “There must be an incentive package for Pakistan in this bill for being a front-line state in combating terrorism with the US he added. He said Pakistan suffered colossal irreparable economic losses running in trillions of dollars in war on terrorism in the region.

Iftikhar Ali Malik said it’s world record that Pakistan has been hosting 2.7 million Afghan refugees for over the last four decades besides laying down the highest number human lives against war on terror, and entire world widely acknowledged Pakistan’s historic sacrifices.

Iftikhar Ali Malik said new US leadership should remove the bottlenecks in bilateral investment treaty and efforts be made on priority to better FTA and it is now imperative that US should offer same package and incentives which it offers to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in textile exports, such as duty concessions and market access.—PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021