Pakistani businessmen's concerns on MFN to be addressed: Indian HC

Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal on Thursday said the business community concerns regarding MFN to India will be addressed fully and in this regard a team of Indian experts is visiting Pakistan in the first quarter of 2012 to discuss Non-Tariff Barriers.
"Our bottom line is to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries that can provide a win-win situation for both Pakistani and Indian businessmen. The post-MFN agreement implications are under active consideration between concerned authorities of both the countries," he added.
The Indian High Commissioner was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. India has emerged fastest growing economy and registered impressive growth rate of 8.5 percent. In view of this fact, India has the potential to become a growth opportunity for the neighbouring countries. India's fast growing economy offers opportunities of an expanding market, investments, technology and entrepreneurial resources for our neighbours.
About the NTBs, the Indian High Commissioner said these apply to all our trading partners and are not specific to Pakistani exports to our country. He, however, said that concerns on such barriers are being addressed actively.
An integrated checkpost is being built at a cost of Indian Rs 1500 million at the Wagah-Attari border to help enhance bilateral trade. The checkpost will have the most modern facilities, both for trade and travel purposes between our two countries, he added. Besides, a designated gate for the trade consignments would also be in place before February 2012 to ensure free flow of consignments.
Besides, trade relations will also help create employment, promote transporters and godown owners business and other business activities on both sides of the border. He said the bilateral trade was on top of the agenda and Indian experts will also help overcome energy crisis in Pakistan.
The Indian High Commissioner said customs co-ordination between the two countries is being worked out to sort out all customs related issues saying that the bottom line for present Indian regime is to promote trade between Pakistan and India in the larger interest of people of the two countries.
He said India was making efforts to resolve the visa problems for Pakistani business community and multiple visas for one year will be issued to businessmen under visa liberalisation policy by the Indian High Commission. The draft of said visa policy is likely to be approved by Indian government, he added. He said at present visas are granted under the 1974 visa policy of India.
Responding to the non-availability of railway vans for transportation of goods, the Indian High Commissioner said the Indian economy is growing fast that created problems of van shortage.
The Indian diplomat said the frequent travellers visiting under business visa are exempted from the police reporting. He said Pakistani business community had shown a positive response to promoting trade with India and Indian government also made strenuous efforts for increasing the bilateral trade volume from $2 billion to $6 billion plus.
Indian and Pakistani business communities are willing to promote economic and trade relations with the idea of enhancing the volume of bilateral trade between the two neighbouring countries for peace and poverty elimination," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said there are numerous conditions for getting the shipments cleared which include agriculture permits, phytosanitary certificates, Indian standard of quality, licensing requirement for import of vehicles, textile specific barriers, health and safety regulations and many more. It is hoped that this area will be taken care of in near future by the Indian government with special preference given to Pakistan.
It goes without saying that due to tight visa policy, the bilateral trade between India and Pakistan has remained undersized and averaging around $1.7 billion over the past 3 years through regular channels. Whereas overall volume of trade between India and Pakistan through irregular channels like Dubai and Singapore ranges around over three billion dollars per annum. According to some estimates, the trade with India has the potential to be anywhere between 8 to 10 billion dollars, he said.
"If trade between Pakistan and India is liberalised the volume of exports of these commodities to India can take a quantum jump." Similarly, there is a great potential for export of fish, resins, animal & vegetable fats, beverages, spirits, vinegar, leather & leather goods, carpets, and tobacco, he added. Similarly, Pakistan can import cottonseed, meat, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, tea, tanning, dyeing extracts, chemical products, rubber and rubber products, raw materials and semi-finished products. "We, the business community, are committed to have a serious, sustainable and constructive engagement with India and early and full normalisation of relations on the basis of mutual non-interference, peaceful co-existence and respect for each other."