GoI should allow Pakistan to export more items to India: Pak chambers

In order to increase bilateral trade between India and Pakistan, various industry chambers in Pakistan feel the Indian government should allow more items to be imported from Pakistan through Attari Road, Wagah (Amritsar). They also expect Pakistan to include more items in the list of goods to be imported from India through the Wagah route. At present, India mainly exports fresh vegetables and meat through the Attari road while Pakistan exports dry fruits to India through the route. Last year, the quantum of trade between the two countries through Attari Road, Wagah was about Rs 1,200 crore.

They feel this will not only help the industrialists and traders of both the countries but will also spur the economic growth of the region. Speaking to Business Standard, Gujrat Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Arfan Yousaf said, “There is an enormous potential for trade between the two countries. Our region is famous for furniture, fans, ceramics and shoes. We expect the Indian government should increase the number of items to be imported from Pakistan and we expect the same from our country. This will strengthen the trade ties between them.”

He was in Amritsar to attend Punjab International Trade Expo (Pitex)-2010, organised by the PHD Chamber. Yousaf, who was leading an 18-member delegation from the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce, said the Indian government should allow trade through the Wagah border to strengthen bilateral trade. Pakistan has the largest representation among the foreign participants at the five-day expo in Amritsar, with delegations from almost all of its provincial industrial chambers, including Gujrat, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Shekhpura and Attock.

Echoing similar sentiments, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Executive Member Nadeem A Sandhu said, “We have strong presence in the pre-cast concrete roof segment and wish to export the same to India as the government here is putting a lot of thrust on infrastructure”. He added the informal trade between the two countries stood at $1,152 million (Rs 52,093 crore).

Businessmen and traders said the setting up of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the Attari border to facilitate Indo-Pak trade was a positive direction in this field. The post is expected to be operational by April 2011.