Pakistans High Commissioner to India, Shahid Malik, has called upon New Delhi to revise its tariff and non-tariff structure and create a level playing field for bettering bilateral trade.
New Delhi, May 4 : Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, Shahid Malik, has called upon New Delhi to revise its tariff and non-tariff structure and create a 'level playing field' for bettering bilateral trade.
"The Pakistani business community expects a 'level-playing field' from India. We have already highlighted the tariff and non-tariff barriers. The high level of subsidies to agriculture and textile sector and the role of the mega PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) in exports raise concern towards the accessibility of Indian market," Malik said at a meeting with the Punjab, Haryana and Delhi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) here on Thursday evening.
Trade between both countries is stuck and revolves around both sides reaching an understanding on the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).
The trade pact, which was mooted in 1995, mandates SAARC developing states - Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka - to cut tariffs to zero and five percent within seven years of the start of the agreement.
Member nations can maintain a list of sensitive products on which tariffs will not be reduced.
The pact, however, has remained on paper due to Pakistan's stance that imports from India would continue to be governed by the Import Policy Order, which allows only 1,075 items.
Malik alleged that India's invoking of elaborate procedural formalities has hurt business, and cited a recent case of Pakistani cement export to India as an example.
"Other imports into India are subject to meeting excessive standardization requirements and procedural formalities. One such recent example was the export of cement to India, when it kept lying at the depot for a number of days for certain procedural formalities. These we see as barriers which work to the detriment of bilateral trade," he added.
India had raised duties on domestic output of cement in its February 28 Central Budget.
Recently, India cleared the import of 525 tonnes of cement from Pakistan through Mumbai's port, and a smaller quantity through Punjab's Wagah border crossing.
ANI