Islamabad, December 31
Pakistani authorities have cleared the import of 16 vegetables and raw jute from India through the Wagah land border in order to bring down prices in the domestic market and added 18 more items to the list of goods that can be imported from the neighbouring country.

Among the vegetables whose import has been allowed by the Commerce Ministry are cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, capsicum, green chillies, okra, bitter gourd, radish, green coriander and ginger fresh.

They can only be imported by truck through the Wagah land border route.

The step will help facilitate import of vegetables to bring down prices in Pakistan, officials were quoted as saying by the Daily Times newspaper.

The Commerce Ministry allowed the imports by making amendments in the Import Policy Order of 2009.

The amendments were notified yesterday. The authorities also added 18 more items in the list of goods that can be imported from India. They include empty aluminium alloy cans, accessories for leather bags and footwear, jigs and dies for vehicles, fungicides for the leather industry and textile spinning machines, bobbin winding machines, reeling machines, power looms, fly ash for the cement industry, traction motors and spares, printed books of all kinds and flavouring powers. The changes in the Import Policy Order were part of amendments to the Strategic Trade Policy Framework of 2009-12. Earlier, the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet had approved these amendments. — PTI