Pak to allow restricted goods for India Show

Pakistan has decided that it will allow Indian businessmen to export and sell all those items that are presently prohibited

Pakistan has decided to allow Indian businessmen participating in the India Show 2014 in Lahore, to be held during February 14-16, to export and sell all items currently prohibited. These include textiles, jewellery, cutlery, auto parts, machinery and sports goods.

At present, Pakistan maintains a negative list of 1,209 items, which cannot be imported from India. Some of the prohibited items in the list come under the broad categories of automobile components, textile products, pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, plastic goods, cutlery, gems and jewellery, stone and marble and ceramics among others.

This can be viewed as a baby step towards giving India a non-discriminatory market access or most-favoured nation (MFN) status, as called in trade parlance. Technically, MFN will be triggered when Pakistan phases out the negative list entirely.

During the exhibition, Pakistan will also allow Indian businessmen to go for on-the-spot selling of their goods that will be exhibited as part of the show, sources said. Commerce Minister Anand Sharma is the chief guest of the show.

By this gesture, Pakistan is angling for similar privileges for Pakistani businessmen in the ‘Lifestyle Pakistan’ show to be held in New Delhi in April. India, however, does not maintain any negative list with Pakistan.

The ‘India Show’ took place in Pakistan for the first time in February 2012.

Subsequently, the integrated check post at Wagah-Attari border was also upgraded.

This year, more than 300 Indian companies will be taking part in the show under the aegis of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Some of the main high points of the show will be business-to-business interactions that will be organised under FICCI and Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It is expected that leaders of Indian industry will also call on Pakistan’s political leadership.