Attari April 27:
Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar inspected the integrated check post being constructed on the Indo-Pakistan border before crossing over for trade talks with his counterpart in Pakistan.
Talking to reporters, he said: “Granting the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India is not an issue. Our priority during the talks will be to ask the neighbouring country to implement the trade policies as per the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) among the SAARC countries,” said Khullar. He said Pakistan was hesitant to accord the MFN status to India. Khullar, accompanied by a six-member delegation, will hold a two- day meeting with his counterpart Zafar Mehmood in Islamabad beginning tomorrow.
He said the issue of liberal visa norms for the business community will also be discussed. “ I will take up the issue of liberal visa norms to the business community so that the trade ties between India and Pakistan get a further boost,” he said. Asked about the agenda of the meeting, the Commerce Secretary said there was no fixed agenda. “I will do my best to strengthen the trade ties between two nations.We will ask the Pakistan authorities to create the required infrastructure on the other side of the border.”
Earlier, he imet a delegation of local exporters led by Mukesh Sidhwani and Rajdeep Uppal, president and vice-president of Amritsar Exporters’ Chambers of Commerce, respectively. The exporters urged Khullar to review the barter trade policy in Kashmir as it was hurting the trade though the Wagah land route. The Commerce Secretary said he would take up the issue with the central government on his return from Pakistan.
Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar inspected the integrated check post being constructed on the Indo-Pakistan border before crossing over for trade talks with his counterpart in Pakistan.
Talking to reporters, he said: “Granting the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India is not an issue. Our priority during the talks will be to ask the neighbouring country to implement the trade policies as per the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) among the SAARC countries,” said Khullar. He said Pakistan was hesitant to accord the MFN status to India. Khullar, accompanied by a six-member delegation, will hold a two- day meeting with his counterpart Zafar Mehmood in Islamabad beginning tomorrow.
He said the issue of liberal visa norms for the business community will also be discussed. “ I will take up the issue of liberal visa norms to the business community so that the trade ties between India and Pakistan get a further boost,” he said. Asked about the agenda of the meeting, the Commerce Secretary said there was no fixed agenda. “I will do my best to strengthen the trade ties between two nations.We will ask the Pakistan authorities to create the required infrastructure on the other side of the border.”
Earlier, he imet a delegation of local exporters led by Mukesh Sidhwani and Rajdeep Uppal, president and vice-president of Amritsar Exporters’ Chambers of Commerce, respectively. The exporters urged Khullar to review the barter trade policy in Kashmir as it was hurting the trade though the Wagah land route. The Commerce Secretary said he would take up the issue with the central government on his return from Pakistan.
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