'Textile sector cooperation can benefit India & Pakistan'

01 Jul '13

2 min read

The textile industries of India and Pakistan can help generate employment through cooperation and reap economic gains, outgoing India’s High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal has said.

Speaking to representatives of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) in Lahore, Mr. Sabharwal said the people of India and Pakistan are looking for economic gains despite waning and waxing in mutual relationships.

The outgoing High Commissioner said the visa issue has been sorted out by both the countries, and the current facilities would continue in future.

He said the Indian Government has removed restrictions on investment and the country is quickly phasing out the negative list. He added that India would decrease the list of 600 negative items to 100 items with a small tariff of 5 percent. Subsequently, the list of 100 items would also be phase out over a five year period.

APTMA chairman Ahsan Bashir said the visa facility extended to Pakistani businessmen by the Indian High Commission under the tenure of Mr. Sabharwal has been remarkable.

He was optimistic that all impediments to trade between India and Pakistan, including infrastructure related problems at Wagah border, would be removed gradually.

In November last year, Mr. Sabharwal announced a special visa service for APTMA members in line with the SAARC model. He also announced one year triple entry visas for APTMA covering 10 cities with one side entry through land border and return through airport, exempted from police investigation. These visas are for the CEOs and Directors of APTMA members and their spouses, followed by the executives of the companies.

The current trade between India and Pakistan is estimated to be around US$ 1.15 billion, which is much short of the potential, according to experts of both the countries.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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