KARACHI: Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal has underlined the need for taking more concrete steps on both sides to strengthen trust and cooperation between India and Pakistan.
Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh wanted best relations of his country with all Asian States especially the neighbouring ones, he said while speaking as the chief guest at the dinner hosted for him by Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) here on Monday.
Indian Commercial Counsellor Arvind Sexaina also accompanied him. The reception was attended by a good number of businessmen besides Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro.
The Indian High Commissioner said that increased bilateral trade would help bring prosperity and improvement in living standard of the two peoples. On both the sides, he continued, there is strong demand for boosting bilateral trade and that we have moved a long way to cover the standard demands. He said that the negative list of 1209 items would be phased out by end of this year for fully giving the Most Favourite Nation (MFN) status to each other. Now, the positive list has 900 items, he said.
Sharat Sabharwal said that both the neighbouring countries were also engaged in cutting down the sensitive list.
Both the sides have resolved the major issues including Customs, laboratory tests of the traded goods. A Customs Cooperation Agreement has been signed, Recognition has be given to each other's laboratories and a machinery has been set up to deal with the grievances of the businessmen while trading with each other, he said.
He said "we wish a win-win situation."
He informed that the dialogue was going on to re-open the Monabhao-Khokharpar route for trade also.
About the softening of visa issuance, he said the text of new policy had been prepared. However, he added, the agreement could not be signed during the meeting of the Home Secretaries of both the countries a few days back.
"I would be willing to open other routes as well," he remarked.
The Indian diplomat said that there very effective parlays on trading petroleum products and electricity between both the countries through Wahga-Attari section.
Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro expressed his satisfaction that there was harmony seen on both sides. The peoples wanted to end distances.
He said that both the democratic governments also deserved complements for improving the mutual relations and working on various accounts to make these ties very strong and bring the two people closer. "It took many years to achieve this goal," he remarked.
He paid tribute to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who initiated serious efforts for soft trade between India and Pakistan. He emphasized that better economic ties should be our top priority.
Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, SM Muneer, Khalid Tawab, Mian Zahid Hussain also spoke.
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