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Pakistani & India Dosti Thread

Agri products trade beneficial for both Pakistan, India

LAHORE: Bilateral trade of agricultural products between India and Pakistan has major potential if the required facilitation is provided.

Pakistan can greatly benefit from the import of wheat, spices, tea and other edibles to meet production shortfalls at competitive prices.

This was stated by business expert and CEO Harvest Trading Ahmad Jawad while talking to APP here on Thursday.

Trade and investment go hand in hand in today's global investment scenario. India being the second largest and Pakistan the sixth largest populated country have immense trade and investment potential as the two countries share a long border.


He said that the working group on agriculture of India and Pakistan already identified certain areas for collaboration, including exchange of experts and training of scientists, in the areas of crop improvement through the use of biotechnology.


He further said," If we can make our land fertile to an extent that every cultivable tract of this country comes under production, the trading prospects could do wonders".

On the other hand, India can become a large market for Pakistani Kinnow (oranges).

According to an estimate, Pakistan can export 400,000 tonnes of Kinnow to India, annually. This export would fetch $1.2 billion in the next two years.

Furthermore, India is also the largest importer of Pakistani dates as last year India imported the commodity worth 3 billion rupees. "We may raise it by Rs1 billion extra easily", he said.


At the same time Pakistan can export with advantage the products such as cotton yarn, mango and vegetables to meet the Indian demand of and on, he concluded.


Agri products trade beneficial for both Pakistan, India
 
Pakistan president's sister in town

Faryal Talpur, sister of Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, on Wednesday said that people-to-people contact between Indian and Pakistan was the only solution to improving relations between India and Pakistan.
Talpur added that top leaders of both the countries should also sit
together and try and resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries.

Refuting reports of an affair between Bilawal Bhutto, Chairman of the Ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Pakistan foreign minister, Hina Rabbani, Talpur said that the reports were concocted and was the imagination of the media.

Talpur is expected to visit several places, including shops across the city. She is expected to buy traditional items from different corners of the city. She is accompanied by a high-level delegation.
 
Pakistan, India fight for Friendship Cup

LAHORE – Pakistan and Indian golfer will be in action in the three-round Friendship Cup Golf to be started Friday here at Royal Palm courses (first round) and Lahore Gymkhana course (second and third rounds). The host golfers accorded warm welcome to the 14-member Indian golf team which reached the city through Wagah border to compete against a 14-member Lahore golf team. The competition will be started Friday at the Royal Palm course and the teams play the alternate shot format. Then the teams move to Lahore Gymkhana Golf Course to play the remaining two rounds on Saturday and Sunday. On day two, the contest format will be the best ball and on the final day it will be singles. The winning team gets the trophy. The Indians will play a practice round today (Thursday) at the par 72 Royal Palm Golf Course, and as this is a norm for all kinds of international golf events, the golfers from across the border will go through the exercise, measuring up the golf course and getting a feel of the challenges to get themselves ready for day one of the event. The golfers team from India comprising mixture of business and industry leaders who love with golf and consider this occasion as the luckiest moment of their lives. Though the competition would produce a contest of good and quality golf and winning or losing is not too important yet the whole aim is to build friendships over three-day of memorable golf rounds. Shoaib Bokhari explained that this contest would be held twice a year and ‘Together We Golf Team’ will travel to India after six months as a part of this regular feature.

Pakistan, India fight for Friendship Cup | The Nation
 
‘Trade, economic cooperation between Pakistan, India will bring prosperity’

KARACHI: Fostering the process of regional trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and India will bring peace and prosperity in the region.

Political will from both countries will foster bilateral relations and is the need of the hour that both governments, besides opening new land routes, should positively consider to connect Mumbai with Karachi through air and sea links as our businesspersons are serious to import from India what is imported from China and other countries.

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President, Muhammad Haroon Agar talking to Naeem Anwar, Minister (Trade) High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi urged to formalise the informal trade which was higher than formal trade of $2.7 billion achieved in year 2011.

He appreciated the productive moves of Indo-Pak governments to introduce banking channel and liberalising visa policy.

He welcomed the initiative of Indian government to allow Pakistani investor to invest in India.

Naeem Anwer elaborated two governments have prioritised to open banks branches in respective countries by March 2013.

National Bank of Pakistan and United Bank will open branches in India while branches State Bank of India, Bank of India and Punjab National Bank will open branches in Pakistan.

Indian government has allowed Pakistani investors apply investment in India through Indian Board of Investment Promotion. Both Indian and Pakistan investors are keen for investment in this regard.

Secretary Commerce has given instruction to him to brief all the chambers of commerce of Pakistan about the latest developments on bilateral trade.

The negative list will be abolished by December 2012 and in April 2013 current 800 tariff lines of SAFTA will also reduce to 100 tariff lines besides by year 2017 SAFTA sensitive list will be reduced to 100 items.

Pakistan is considering to allow all tradable items through Wagah and recently 3 agreements were signed between two governments viz Customs Cooperation, Agreement on Mutual Recognition and Redressal of grievances which will be implemented after completion of all legal formalities.

He informed according to new visa policy, business visa for small category businessmen having net income of Rs 500,000 to 3 million will be given one year visa of 5 cities by 4 multiple entries with police reporting while for big category businessmen having net income beyond Rs 3 million will be given one year visa of 10 cities by multiple entries with exemption of police reporting.

Authority to verify income is under consideration. He articulated potential products for export to India are textiles (home textiles, fabric), agricultural based products, agro-processed products.

He urged the manufacturing sector to capture its share of Indian markets. He informed Pakistan has urged to rationalise tariffs of products which were on higher sides.

He sought proposals from KCCI to identify products, logistics data, warehousing facilitates, information on required infrastructure with regards to trade from Khokrapar Monabao border, which was under consideration by two governments.

He urged chambers of commerce in Pakistan to focus on research and development, which Pakistani chambers were lacking as compared to Indian counterparts.

He elaborated the role of National Tariff Commission and educated the members of KCCI to opt for legal formalities in case of anti-dumping or injury to domestic industry.

India was offering huge subsidies for exportable items, therefore, Pakistani business community should be cautious of influx of Indian goods keeping in view viability and price competitiveness of identical domestic items.

He asked members of KCCI to study the Indian models of business joint ventures if they were interested for same with Indian counterparts.

He assured support from Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on policy matters. One Indian company offered Karachi Metropolitan Corporation produce 8 megawatts energy by processing the solid waste at Karachi, he informed.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
 
Pakistan face India in Handicapped Series ODI today

Pakistan handicapped cricket team captain M Fayyaz is confident over his team’s chances of winning the series against Indian handicapped team.

Talking to this scribe here on Wednesday, Fayyaz expressed these views and added: “We got two-week training to prepare for this series under the watchful eyes of our coach M Tahir and manager Nasir Mehmood Chaudhry and players are fully fit and raring to go.

“We would give tough time to India to return as winners as our team is well-balanced and the players are capable of beating any given opposition,” said Fayyaz.

Pakistan handicapped team will face India in the first of the three-match One-day international series match Thursday (today) at 10am here at Raja Nehar Singh Cricket Stadium, Fareedabad. The match will be of 35 overs and Indian provincial Sports Minister will be the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony.

Team manager Nasir Mehmood said: “The boys are in high spirits and we have selected a very good squad comprising youth and experience while our spinners will be the key in the series. Nihal and Kashif Nawaz are our secret weapons having ability to destroy any opposition with their accurate and good spin bowling.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan handicapped cricket team had a net practice session at Nihar Singh Cricket Stadium where first ODI to be played between the two countries. All the 16 players participated in the practice session conducted by coach M Tahir. The players started the training with light drills and played soccer for half an hour before the practice session started. A large crowd was also present there to witness Pakistani handicapped players and not only took autographs from them but also had photographs with them.

Earlier, Pakistan Physically handicapped cricket team reached India in the wee hours of Wednesday to play the ODI and T20 series.

The team along with the management was received by Physically Challenged Cricket Association of India (PCCAI) secretary Ravi Chauhan amid drum beats and dancing from the overjoyed crowd who raised slogans in favour of both the teams.


It is to worth mention here that Pakistan handicapped team and officials were given tremendous respect and care by the Indian officials starting from Wagah border to their final destination. The people said this would certainly help in bridging the gaps between the two neighbours.

Meanwhile, PCCAI chairman Parveen Bahl welcomed Pakistan team in India and said: “With this tour, their first task of completing a bilateral series between the two countries has been achieved.”

Earlier, India visited Pakistan in June to play three ODIs and one T20 international and in reply, now Pakistan team came here to play three ODIs and one T20 match.

“They will provide best hospitality and love that was given to us by Pakistani people and PCAPH during our visit to Pakistan. The main aim behind establishing handicapped cricket team is to give an opportunity to handicapped players to prove their abilities on same venues and grounds where normal players are playing,” Parveen added.

The PCCAI chief said there was another thing in mind at that time as he wanted to give handicapped persons equal opportunities to realise them that they could live a normal life like others and their abilities could be utilized for healthy sporting activities.

“Indian handicapped players have potential to beat any side of the world with their determination and devotion. TO provide them healthy activity and opportunity, we have decided to send our team to Pakistan to have maximum international exposure. There was no suitable side than Pakistan to play against as they are one of the best sides and the most respected teams of the world and to play with them will also help in bridging gap between the people of both the countries,” Parveen believed.

He said that they were not getting any financial support from Indian government or any other institution but managing all the things with their own resources. “We do not need any grant or other personal favour but we just need respect, love and acknowledgement from the countrymen as we want to tell the world that we are sports loving nation.”

Parveen said that he wanted to thank Indian government for issuing visas to Pakistan players in one week time as the actual visa process took at least 45 days. “We have time and again requested BCCI to grant affiliation to PCCAI and give only one percent of the board’s budget to the handicapped players which will surely help boosting handicapped cricketers morale and they will perform much better if they get the deserving incentives,” he added.

“We have established Asian Cricket Council Committee of the handicapped teams earlier this year during our Pakistan visit and will sit together with Pakistani friends and will finalise details before we announce the first Asia Cricket Cup for the handicapped,” he stated.

“We are ready to help Pakistan in hosting the Asia Cup there or if they want us to host the event. We are also ready for that as the thing that matters most is the event must take place no matter here or there.”


“We have offered Pakistan the chairmanship of Asian Cricket Council for Physically Handicapped and now it is up to them whatever post they want to keep and it will be acceptable for us,” Parveen concluded.

Meanwhile, PCAPH chairman Abbas Hashmi said: “We are feeling proud with the respect and love we received here in India in such a short time. We are here to promote love, peace, harmony and to play positive cricket and we present love from the government and people of Pakistan to the Indian people.”


He said they were very grateful to the government of Pakistan as the Indian team was provided NOC within no team as our minister had promised and fulfilled his promise. “We had sent complete documents to Indian Embassy in Islamabad well before time. It was their responsibility to complete the process as quickly as possible, anyhow now that is past and are looking forward to play a keenly contested series against India and would try to win that series.”

He said: “Winning or losing is not an issue but the thing that matters most is to play in true spirit of the game and we always regard Indian handicapped team and management for their unconditional support and at a time when no international team and individual was ready to tour Pakistan citing security concerns, it were the Indians who not only agree to visit Pakistan but also play a full series against our team.” Abbas offered his all-out support to PCCAI in hosting of first Asian Cricket Championship for physically handicapped players in India or anywhere else. Hashmi offered Parveen any slot of his liking at the Asian Cricket Council Committee for the Physically Handicapped and promised to work without any office or post for the noble cause of promoting cricketing ties.

Pakistan face India in Handicapped Series ODI today | The Nation
 
Opening Khokhrapar-Munabao border


KARACHI: A Joint Working Group (JWG) is being constituted by Pakistan and India and it will meet soon for deliberations on opening Khokhrapar-Munabao border and air connectivity between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal stated this during his visit to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Thursday. He said fostering the process of regional trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and India would bring peace and prosperity to the region.

He applauded steps taken by Pakistan and Indian to enhance bilateral economic and commercial cooperation and to promote peace and prosperity in the region.

He was of the view that excessive sea trade should be converted to land route via road and railways. New dedicated trade gate is being established near ceremonial gate at Wagah border to enhance trading hours up to 12 hours. Previously trading hours were up to five hours from Wagah ceremonial gate, which is also used by visitors.

First time, besides liberalising business visas, tourism visa is introduced in the new visa regime, which will be implemented after ratification by the government of Pakistan, he added.

On issues relating to non-tariff barriers, he said recently signed three agreements between two governments like customs cooperation, agreement on mutual recognition and redressal of grievances would be implemented after completion of all legal formalities to streamline bilateral trade.

The negative list will be dismantled by December 2012 thereafter likely there would be normalised World Trade Organisation trade regime, he maintained. India has reduced its South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) sensitive list by 30 percent from 878 tariff lines to 614 tariff lines. Out of 264 tariff lines being removed, 155 tariff lines are pertaining to agriculture and 106 are related to textile items.

Upon full transition to most-favoured nation status for India by December 2012, India would thereafter bring its SAFTA sensitive list to 100 tariff lines by April 2013 and thereafter Pakistan after seeking the cabinet’s approval would also simultaneously bring down its sensitive list to a maximum of 100 tariff lines in next five years. He said Indian trade regulators met Pakistan businesspersons and had deliberations on bilateral trade issues.

He said pace of economic growth in South Asia was slow and intra-regional trade in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) block was only 5.0 percent while in Association of Southeast Asian Nations, it was 25 percent and EU is about 65 percent.

Consequent to Indo-Pak bilateral talks and its progress, new synergies and opportunities will be created in the SAARC region.

Both countries have to walk the last mile to start moving towards preferential trade by the end of this year, two countries can create an enabling environment while the business communities have to explore new horizons for commercial cooperation, he concluded.

KCCI President Muhammad Haroon Agar recognised and commended efforts of the Indian high commissioner in this regard.

The KCCI firmly believes both countries will have to demonstrate same greater political will to foster relations as shown in negotiations during the last two years.

It is the need of the hour that both governments, besides opening new land routes should positively consider to resume operations of Air India and other private airlines for Pakistan.

The business community had welcomed the moves to establish banks branches to streamline business activities in respective countries and Indian government to allow Pakistani investors for investment in India. Implementation of agreements on customs cooperation, redressal of grievances and agreement of mutual recognition will bring the private sectors of the two countries closer to each other and strengthen business ties, he opined.

Two exhibitions are planned in Karachi with collaboration of Indian counterparts Intexpo Pakistan on November 30, and December 1, 2012 with Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council of India and India Expo from December 21-23 at Expo Centre with Federation of Indian Export Organisations.

So we seek support of Indian high commission for the said exhibitions. One complete hall for Indian pavilion is also planned in 10th My-Karachi Exhibition being held from July 5-7, 2013.

Businessmen Group Chairman Siraj Kassam Teli said KCCI was in the process of forming Bombay-Karachi Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which would act as the driving force to strengthen the trade ties.

The business community of Pakistan would avail more benefits from huge Indian market, he observed.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
 
Good to see that still there r some people on both sides who want peace n friendship...:enjoy:
 
The best example of love between india and pakistan is that they love watching our movies and we love listening the songs sang by their artists.
 
Dosti ka to pata nahin...PDF ki Tharki Brigade kaafi united hai. Chahe kahin ke bhi ho, is group ke members sochte ek dum same hain....:lol:

Ji haan .. hum log dosti ki torch hain..:smitten:

Neta aur military kya jane dosti kya hoti hai.... humari to nas nas main dosti basi hai...:meeting:
 
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