Setting aside visa issues: Businessmen for contact centres at Wagah border

Points can serve as meeting places, exhibition centres.

LAHORE: With doubts in their minds about the resolution of visa issues with India anytime soon, the business community has floated a proposal to establish business centres at the Wagah border where businessmen of both sides can easily contact each other, organise product exhibitions and exchange goods' samples.

They suggest that Pakistan and India should push back their borders by two kilometres and use the space for business exhibitions, cinemas, hospitals, meeting centres, parks, etc. This, they believe, will not only help the business community in exchange of products and placing orders but will also facilitate the governments as they will not have to issue visas to many people.

These suggestions were presented during a discussion and exchange of thoughts about free trade and grant of most-favoured nation (MFN) status to India at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Monday.

Prominent among those who gave their input were Shahid Javed Burki, former finance minister, Tasnim Noorani, former foreign secretary and Ayesha Ghous Pasha of Beaconhouse National University.

Beaconhouse University is conducting a study on free trade and MFN status and in this connection it is recording concerns of the business community. The study will be completed between October and November, after which road shows will be held in major cities to raise awareness.

The businessmen were concerned about the non-tariff barriers, particularly the visa policy of India. Though it may be easy for prominent businessmen to receive invitation from their Indian counterparts, the one who have just started or is planning to start trade with India may not get the benefit.

Shahid Javed Burki said “what economics told us is that when trade between a huge and small economy started, smaller economy always benefited from that and what I believe that at macro level Pakistan would benefit, especially in industrial and agricultural sectors. Some sectors might get hurt, but not much as feared. When China entered Pakistani market, same fears had surfaced in business circles.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2012.