Pakistan seeks India's help at WTO

[StormShadow]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants India to withdraw its objections at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to enable it to seek trade concessions from the European Union for its flood-hit people, a daily said.

"Indian approval is vital for future trade talks between the two countries," said Pakistan's Commerce Secretary Zafar Mehmood at the opening session of a seminar on "Pakistan-India Trade: Prospects and Challenges".

"The approval will also boost the confidence of business community and it will result in enhancement of trade between the two countries," the News International quoted him as saying.

The European Union failed to get approval at the World Trade Organisation from member nations, especially India, for granting trade preferences to Pakistan on 75 items, a Pakistan daily stated in a report June 27.

The EU had announced to give a time-bound duty-free access to Pakistan for 75 items to compensate losses caused by last year's devastating floods. The package was scheduled to come into effect in January this year.

The EU had recently approached the WTO to seek a waiver for one year on trade preferences to Pakistan on these products amounting to almost 900 million euros.

While talking about the progress in commerce secretary-level talks between India-Pakistan held in April, he said the progress on the proposed road plan has been made from the Pakistan side.

Officials of an Indian company had recently met the Pakistan's Ministry of Agriculture to present their expertise in cotton and seed research. Similarly, progress was made in energy and computer software industries, he said.

"A draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been sent for approval, which will help in enhancing trade with India," he added.

Mehmood also revealed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had sent a letter to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for opening up of bank branches across the border for facilitating trade.

On this occasion, Rajiv Kumar, secretary general of the Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said the atmosphere in India had changed. "Now there are talks about enhancing trade with South Asian countries."

Pakistan seeks India's help at WTO - The Economic Times

 

[Jon Snow]

they want us to remove our objections( as if that's ever gonna happen ), they're not asking for help.......

 

[StormShadow]

they want us to remove our objections( as if that's ever gonna happen ), they're not asking for help.......

Asking to remove something which is against them is not asking for help?

 

[INDIAISM]

i think we should negotiate with pakistan and support thm in getting trade preferences on the items{from tht list} which don't hurt our market in europe{only if other nations don't hve any problem with tht} and in return we should ask for safe passage for our goods to afghanistan and central asia....guys its buisness

 

[xataxsata]

There are no free lunches if pakistan wants some concessions and favors it should stop terrorism arrest and prosecute hafeez saeed, lakhvi etc.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Is this (objections of other exporting nations) going to happen? Bangladesh, Srilanka and India were the main objectors; Thailand and Indonesia also stood to be impacted. So that particular move in the WTO is unlikely to see fruition.

As far as India is concerned, there are some issues of bilateral Indo-Pakistani trade that Pakistan has not yet addressed; so even there some issues remain outstanding. Lot of things remain to be sorted out yet.

 

[StormShadow]

i think we should

I think we should not. All our pleas of prosecuting Dawood, hafiz and lakhvi were unheard and we were asked for more "proof". Now also we must ask for more "action" and then we can think if we must actually decrease our stand.

 

[PteX]

If they need help, they should offer something in return instead of just teaching hatred for India, then you can help a country that is an actual friend.

 

[Jon Snow]

Asking to remove something which is against them is not asking for help?

depends on perspective i guess.... From one, pakistan is asking us not to interfere in their trade affair...... From another, asking for help

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants India to withdraw its objections at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to enable it to seek trade concessions from the European Union for its flood-hit people, a daily said.

For Pakistan, the floods were a great tragedy.

For India, they were a great opportunity, to squeeze out some political concessions, from a suffering people.

 

[Major Ram]

"Take the money in aid directly.. why you want concessions for flood reason?"

This is what India is saying and there is nothing wrong. WTO should provide aid if they are so concerned about flood effects.

 

[Jon Snow]

we should most definitely not remove our objections

 

[Jon Snow]

For Pakistan, the floods were a great tragedy.

For India, they were a great opportunity, to squeeze out some political concessions, from a suffering people.

it sounds cold, but in politics one takes every advantage one gets, even if it originates from a tragedy

 

[Kazhugu]

For Pakistan, the floods were a great tragedy.

For India, they were a great opportunity, to squeeze out some political concessions, from a suffering people.

You are brainwashed maan....millions of our weavers are dependent on the same market as Pakistanis....how can we allow concessions maaan..will not our weavers be affected.....

Why are Pakistanis not getting aid directly as if they have not received any aid till now...Pakistan media wants to make Indian villain as always....we know...

 

[saurav]

For Pakistan, the floods were a great tragedy.

For India, they were a great opportunity, to squeeze out some political concessions, from a suffering people.

Anything else Sire ..?