‘Mutual cooperation can break trade barriers’

Indo-Pak trade can touch $10b; if sector-specific measures are taken: Badal.

LAHORE: The Deputy Chief Minister of Indian Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal urged both the governments of Pakistan and India to ease out all issues coming in the way of two-way trade as it was the only way to break barriers.

Badal was addressing the business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). He said that by the year 2013, the Indian Punjab will have surplus electricity and will be more than willing to start exports to Pakistan. He said that a major portion of electricity was being produced through coal while more than 500 megawatts (MW) from renewable sources like biomass, wheat-straw and rice-straw. He said that 500MW through solar power will be added to the Indian national grid in next five years.

He said that electricity for the agriculture sector was free in Indian Punjab while the industry also enjoys many incentives. Badal said that bilateral trade between Pakistan and India can go up to $10 billion from only $2 billion presently in the shortest possible time, provided both sides take sector-specific measures. Elaborating the point, he said that the distance between Lahore and Amritsar is only of 35 minutes, thus it would be cheaper for Pakistan to trade with India than a third country, which will cost ten times higher.

India is one of the biggest economies in the region and offers innumerable opportunities to Pakistani businessmen. He said that businessmen must not feel any threat from Indian entrepreneurship; rather they should work out a strategy to be competitive.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2012.