Give and take: India asked to cut duties on Pak export goods

In an interview with BBC, he said, “The suggestion to make India most favoured nation no longer exists. Instead the proposal of giving India NDMA status is under consideration.” He said India will have to reduce the duties imposed on Pakistani products, especially textiles. He said that all groundwork at the ministerial level to grant India this status has been completed.

He added that the proposal will be presented in a cabinet meeting for approval. He said the cabinet will approve this special concessional status for India ‘as soon as Islamabad receives a positive response from India on our reservations’.




India has levied 80 to 120 per cent duties on Pakistani textile products, which is not acceptable, the minister said. “If India wants NDMA status from Pakistan, it will have to bring down these duties to a range between zero and five per cent.” He said there are other products, including chemicals and medical equipment, where Pakistan is seeking concessions.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wants to promote trade ties with India on a priority basis and no political conflict will be allowed to block its way, he added. However, he clarified, “Trade is a two-way process and if it cannot benefit our traders, industrialists, growers and the economy as a whole, there will be no progress on this issue.”

Dastagir said that Pakistan seeks good trade ties with India regardless of which party holds sway in government there. “However, if a trade agreement is not signed with India during the present Indian government’s tenure, then it is likely to suffer an unnecessary delay due to the election process in the country and setting of a new agenda by the next government.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2014.