India, Pakistan set sights on greater trade, cooperation

New Delhi (CNST), Apr.14: A Pakistani truck prepares to cross through the India-Pakistan Attari-Wagah joint check post, in this April 13 photo. Bringing cheers to the business community and people on both sides of the border and giving a major fillip to bilateral trade, India and Pakistan have agreed to work out a road map for allowing a whole spectrum ofitems for trade through the land route — Attari-Wagah. The products include pharmaceuticals and related products, cement, livestock,newsprint, petrochemicals, fabric and raw jute. At present, 150-odd items are allowed to be exported to Pakistan through the land route and trucks. After the pruning of the negative list by Pakistan last month, the number of items exported by India has gone up to nearly 7,800. Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and Pakistan Trade Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim held talks on Friday. In a joint statement issued on Saturday, both sides agreed to take all further action to encourage greater trade through the newly inaugurated Integrated Check Post (ICP). “It was agreed upon that Pakistan will take necessary steps toremove extant restrictions on items permitted to be imported through the land route. The aim is to permit all items not in the Negative List to be traded across the land border at Attari-Wagah. The Pakistan side has stated that through a Cabinet decision in 2009, theflow of items is linked to provision of adequate infrastructure at the check post and it would take the case to the Cabinet on the basis of the additional capacity created through thenew ICP,” according to the statement. This could possibly pave way for allowing import of cement from Pakistan to India and export of pharma products, expanded list of fruits and vegetables, livestock, petrochemicals, petroleum products, raw jute and fabrics to and from Pakistan. Stating that the Commerce Secretaries will meet in Islamabad in May, the statement said the new arrangements at the ICP shall streamline movement of trucks across the border and significantly enhance the flow of trade through land route. It was also notedthat Pakistan had already built sufficient infrastructureat Wagah and is clearing all the current cargo traffic. The new infrastructure will enable a substantial increase in the movement ofgoods traffic across the border. Also, it will now be possible for trade to be conducted over longer hours during any working day. “The Pakistan side stated that through a Cabinet decision Ministers expressed the wish that discussions may continue at the official level for possibilities of opening moreland customs stations between both countries. This would enhance greater economic engagement between business communities of both sides and deepen bilateral cooperation for mutual prosperity of their people,” the joint statement said. Transition process Both sides expressed satisfaction that the transition process for complete normalisation of the trading of goods and services, including investments, has started. There has been a substantial increase in the list of commodities permitted to be imported from India. Asper the Pakistan Government's order of March 20 a Negative List of 1209 tariff lines has been announced. In accordance with the Pakistan Cabinet decision, complete phasing out of the Negative List by December 2012 is subject tofurther negotiations. Both sides agreed that the modalities would be discussed at the next meeting of the Commerce Secretaries. -the hindu