LONDON: This is with reference to Lt.-Col. (r) Mukhtar Ahmed Butt’s letter of October 15 titled “Trade with India”.
I would disagree with the writer in that how would more trade with our neighbour jeopardise our security? Our workers and industry have to compete with other countries and in that regard India should be no different. It also happens to be the case that we demand some of the things that they produce, and they demand some of the good we make.
So the opportunity for mutually beneficial trade exists, and it should be grabbed by both countries. Also, a point to note is that if our local economy has been hurt by trade with any country, it is China, whose cheap goods make life difficult for many Pakistani industrial and business sectors.
Also, to bring in Afghanistan into this whole debates begs the issue. Afghanistan needs to be looked at separately to any trade policy that we may or may not have vis-à-vis India.
Nadir El-Edroos
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2011.
