India-Pak Commerce Ministers to meet next month for trade talks

Islamabad, Aug 6 (ANI): The Commerce Ministers of Pakistan and India will reportedly meet in New Delhi next month, after a gap of over three years, to discuss issues related to trade expansion and proposals to remove non-tariff barriers that hinder smooth trade between the two countries.

According to sources, the decision was taken after Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma sent a formal invitation to his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Amin Fahim to discuss several important issues.

"Yes, we have received a formal invitation from the Indian commerce minister. He has invited Pakistani commerce minister to visit India to discuss several trade-related issues," The Dawn quoted a source in the Commerce Ministry, as saying.

In April this year, Commerce Secretaries of both the countries had expressed their willingness to proceed further on issues like removing non-tariff barriers (NTBs), and Pakistan extending the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India.

Meanwhile, the source also said that Pakistan would urge India to end its objection to the European Union (EU) preferential trade package offered to Pakistan in the wake of last year's devastating floods.

Pakistan is optimistic of getting a positive response from India on the issue of the EU trade package and the removal of NTBs, and in case of any positive result, the case of granting India the MFN status would become easier, he added. (ANI)