Traders and industrialists have hailed the government for granting (most favoured nation) MFN status to India. In a statement, S. M. Muneer, Patron-in-Chief-KATI, Ehteshamuddin Chairman, Razzak A. Hasham and Tariq Malik, Vice Chairmen and former Chairman KATI, Mian Zahid Hussain have complimented Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Commerce Minister Makhdoom and Secretary Commerce, Zafar Mahmood on granting MFN status to India.
Muneer, who is also the President of Pak-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that both the countries would be required to remove non-tariff barriers to move towards normalisation of trade and said that it was not something new as both the countries had enjoyed MFN status from 1947 to 1965 and signed four agreements.
This would be beneficial for people of both the countries; especially Pakistani businessmen would get access to market of over one billion consumers. He was confident that trade which is at present hovering at around $3 billion would rise to $8 billion within next three years. Being signatories of General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT), he said, both the countries were bound to display discriminatory attitude in trade with any of the member countries, he added. The chairman KATI demanded equal and same level playing field for the businessmen of Pakistan to safeguard their interest and get benefit of the decision of granting MFN status to India.-PR