Bilateral trade to get new fillip: Pak official

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) With the removal of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) para tariffs, the bilateral trade between India and Pakistan will get a boost, Pakistan Commerce Secretary Syed Asif Shah said.

He said the Joint Study Group has identified the irritants, the Sanitary and Pyto-Sanitary (SPS) measures along with stringent standards in Tariff and NTBs, customs procedures and facilitation, which are impeding the growth of bilateral trade.

The Indian business community has called for investment cooperation and joint ventures in selective areas between both countries.

Mr Shah replied, ''We have asked India to share with us their export insurance procedures so that Pakistan can replicate them and thereby facilitate higher volumes of imports from India,'' Mr Shah said.

The secretary said trade shows would be organised along with improvement of border infrastructure, laying of optical fibre linkages and cooperation in IT-enabled medical facilities.

Ficci stressed on the need for a negative list for trade with India comprising items, which are in the nascent stages of production.

India had recently asked the Pakistani government to identify 20 items for import while handing over a list of 484 items for export to Pakistan.

The chamber also called for a bilateral agreement on regular cargo movement through opening of the Wagah border with warehouses and other infrastructural facilities on both sides.

UNI