DNA
PESHAWAR
FPCCI’s Businessmen Panel Secretary General (Federal) Ch. Ahmad Jawad said there was no use talking to India on the restoration of trade unless it restored the status of Illegal Indian Occupied Kashmir and clear its mindset for their neighbors.
Talking to media at FPCCI Regional Office, he said New Delhi even attempted to isolate us in SAARC region through SAARC apex trade body. India have started the lobbying with other member countries to dysfunctional the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a real way because they don’t afford the presidency which relates to Pakistan for the period of two years”.
he added. In this regard India Ministry of Commerce have initiated extensive working. Jawad also told since 70 years bilateral trade was largely favoured to India which even against the wisdom of SAFTA agreement.
Indian exports continued unabated at a monthly average of $150 million while Pakistan’s decreased from $30 million to $4 million. Pakistan’s decision to suspend bilateral trade has pulled the plug on this one-way trade.
Neither Pakistan nor India is critically dependent on each other’s market, though the suspension of bilateral trade might, in the medium term, affect the consumer welfare by increasing prices of a few agricultural and other products.
Since Pakistan’s value-added products are systematically excluded through NTBs, Pakistan’s exports to India are concentrated in a few primary and intermediate products — dried dates ($92 million), cement ($63 million), sugar ($23 million), gypsum ($19 million), sesame seed ($15 million), leather ($14 million), steel scrap ($13 million), disodium carbonate ($12 million) and surgical instruments ($11 million).
