Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir says India needs to reduce textile duties if it wants trading partner status from Pakistan
Federal Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastagir Khanhas said that India cannot be given the status of trading partner unless it significantly reduces taxes on Pakistani textile products.
In an interview with BBC, the commerce minister said that there is a proposal to give Non Discriminatory Market Access (NDMA) but made it clear that this would be approved only when India would reduce duties on the import of Pakistani textile products. He said if India wants non discriminatory trade relations, it would have to bring down the duties in the range of zero to five per cent. He said presently India has imposed duties between 80 to 120% on Pakistani textile products which is totally unacceptable.
He said spade work has been completed at the ministerial level and the issue to be presented before the federal cabinet for approval. He as soon as Pakistan receives a positive response on its reservations after approval by the Indian cabinet, Pakistan would reciprocate.
The commerce minister said there are other items on which Pakistan needed relief including chemicals, medical equipment and others.
In reply to a question, Khurram Dastagir said the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif wants to enhance trade relations with India on priority basis and no political issue would come in their way. However he said trade is a two way affair and if Pakistani traders, industrials, farmers and economy do not benefit from this trade, the matter would not move ahead.