Support: Business Forum Punjab wants MFN list expanded

BFP says its against rushed timeline, demands negative list be maintained for another 36 months while it is reviewed.

LAHORE:

President Business Forum Punjab (BFP) Ibrahim Qureshi has said that BFP supports a pro-trade policy not only with India, but throughout the South Asian region.

Currently, he said, 90 per cent of our trade takes place outside the region, against the ideal of 2/3rds trade within regional partners.

However, we need to listen to and seriously address concerns of the domestic business community before jumping towards a deadline for removing trade barriers, he said.

He said that the BFP is against a rushed timeline, and demanded that the negative list be maintained for another 36 months while it is reviewed before any major decision is taken. At the briefing, he also criticised the government for unfairly burdening the masses with the petroleum levy.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2012.