Indian, Pak businessmen call for opening of more land routes

Indian and Pakistani businessmen have recommended opening up of more land routes to boost trade between the two nations.
During wide-ranging discussions at the Pakistan India Joint Business Forum held here recently, they called for formation of task-forces on sectors like agriculture, automotive, energy and SMEs, while concluding with a list of recommendations identifying areas of potential cooperation, according to a report by Pakistani daily 'Dawn'.
Businessmen of both sides recommended opening up of more land routes, ensuring that the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the Wagah-Attari border is operational on both sides and facilitating phone communication, the report said.

The delegates also emphasised on the need for a dispute resolution mechanism and proposed the immediate implementation of the Redress of Trade Grievances Agreement, ratified by both countries in September 2012.
They noted that there had been progress in the power sector with India offering to sell electricity to Pakistan and both sides discussing tariffs and modalities for transmission.
The energy task-force emphasised the importance of business-to-business collaboration and government support, specifically in renewable energy projects.

The two governments were advised to move forward in facilitating cross-border sale of power.
However a majority of Pakistani delegates were of the opinion that like the previous two rounds of negotiations, they got a clear message that India is ready to accord access to its markets through manufacturing on its soil and not through trade.

"In spite of repeated requests, the Indians kept on explaining customs and excise duties that too without cascade and not tariff," some delegates representing Pakistan's agriculture, auto and engineering besides SME sectors in the negotiations, told Dawn.
A delegate, who had been part of all rounds of the negotiations, said that trade balance had been in favour of Pakistan till 1965.
"India granted most favoured nation (MFN) status to Pakistan in 1996 after structuring its trade laws to protect its industry. And it became meaningless for Pakistan. The level of subsidies available to Indian industry was not shared with us."

"India has an abundance of cheap raw materials which are not on the 'negative list' for Pakistan. Our industry can become competitive if we get access to this cheap source but we don't get rates on competitive prices if even they get quoted at all," said the delegate.
The joint taskforce on agriculture proposed a bilateral agriculture trade agreement to create better trade links identifying mutually beneficial ground for cross-border trade.
It also recommended urgent opening-up of the Wagah-Attari border for items like farm machinery, equipment and agricultural-inputs.