SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Monday stressed the need for active pursuit of mutually beneficial power transfer between India-Pakistan, saying it would fully exploit their untapped resources, besides giving a boost to economy in the region.
Talking to a high level 15 members delegation from Confederation of Indian Industry, SAARC CCI, VP Pak chapter and veteran trade leader Iftikhar Ali Malik said that given the severe power shortage in Pakistan and open access power transmission possibilities in India, there was a renewed interest in pursuing mutually beneficial cross border power transfer between the two countries.
He said that in the late 1990s,Pakistan had surplus power generation mainly in the form of IPP and wanted to export to India through the nearest Dinanath sub station near Lahore ring road to the Patti Sub-station in Indian Punjab. But the aspiration did not materialise into reality due to price offered by India at that time. Malik said that traders of the two countries could fully benefit from open markets of either side for strengthening socio-economic conditions for the welfare of people in the region.
“There is vast scope of close co-operation in food, agriculture, power, engineering, chemical, petroleum, livestock, dairy development, transfer of IT technology, construction industry and communication sectors”, he highlighted.
Iftikhar Ali Malik said that SCCI, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and other chambers would facilitate traders from India for joint ventures and establishing business outlets beneficial to the two countries. Managing Director, Braj Binani Group of Industries, India Vinod Juneja expressed his interest to import cement, glass fibre and zinc products from Pakistan. He will hold meetings with his counterpart to work out the modalities.
Meanwhile, other Indian traders Rajan Bedi,MD, and Gaurav Kumar,Director,SSB Enterprise India,said the group was keen to import gypsum,coal,cement and red chillies from Pakistan and discussions on quality of products and prices,commodities were underway. It was learnt that other members of Indian trade delegation representing engineering, construction, chemical and petroleum, agriculture, food and home appliances would be meeting Pakistani traders to study the scope of mutual co-operation in their respective sectors.
The visiting Indian delegation would also visit LCCI on December 12 for sector specific meetings with traders, importers and exporters.
