The two-day sixth session of Pakistan-Nepal joint economic commission concluded on Tuesday with a pledge for bilateral cooperation in a number of fields including trade, commerce, banking, agriculture, energy, health, education, information technology, postal services and civil aviation.
The session was led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar while the Nepal side was represented by its Minister for Finance, Commerce, Industries and Supplies, Shankar Parsad Koirala. A number of decisions were taken during the meetings of the sixth session and to implement the decisions, minutes of the JEC were also signed.
Briefing media persons about the decisions taken during the meetings here at a local hotel, Senator Ishaq Dar said a draft of the free trade agreement between Pakistan and Nepal was handed over to the Nepalese side for their examination. Further negotiations in this regard, he said will be discussed by a joint trade committee of the two countries. He said the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry will explore areas of trade diversification particularly involving the private sectors of the two countries in collaboration with Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the exchange of business delegations will be made a regular feature.
Furthermore, he said a draft of MoU on establishing linkages between Alternative Energy Development board of Pakistan and Alternative Energy Promotion Center of Nepal was given to the Nepali delegation for formalization of mutual cooperation in the sector.
A draft MoU between State Bank of Pakistan and Central Bank of Nepal for a regulatory regime between the Banking Sectors of two countries will be exchanged for facilitating business community.
“It will help in the achievement of the objectives of the proposed Free Trade Agreement”, the minister added.
Ishaq Dar said the both sides also discussed areas of cooperation in the field of agriculture under the provisions of an agreement signed between the two countries. In this connection, he said it was agreed to hold the meeting of the joint working group constituted under the said agreement on August 28 and 29 in Islamabad.
Increase in the frequency of cargo and passenger flights for Nepal will be discussed in the next meeting of joint commission of trade and also in Air Services Agreement (ASA) talks scheduled in September 2013, Ishaq Dar remarked. The finance minister expressed his resolve to boost the existing cordial and friendly relations between the two countries into substantial economic and trade relations.
He further said Pak-Nepal joint economic commission would play a pivotal role in harnessing the true potential of mutual trade and economic cooperation.
Speaking on the occasion, Shanker Prasad Koirala said that there was a good scope of promoting trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Cooperation in the fields, such as agriculture tourism, education and culture, health, textiles and leather industries would contribute in the economic development and prosperity of our people, he added. Shankar Prasad said frequent exchange of business delegations, organisation of trade and tourism festivals in both the countries and collaboration between the two private sectors would give further impetus to the promotion of trade and commerce.
