M A I N   N E W S

Pak closer to giving MFN status to India 
Afzal Khan in Islamabad

The Ministry of Commerce here on Wednesday issued the Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) for switching over to negative list regime to trade with India. According to the notification, as many as 1,209 items have been included in the negative list and would not be importable from India to Pakistan.

The federal cabinet has decided that the items in the negative list would be eliminated altogether by December 31 this year to pave the way for grant of the most favoured nation (MFN) status to India.

According to official news agency APP, of the total items importable from India under the SRO, 137 would be importable from India to Pakistan through land route from Wagah.

Major items included in the list of importable items are livestock, vegetables and newsprint in rolls or sheets.

For the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, the manufacturer could also import raw material (except basic manufactured locally) and packing material approved by the Director General Health Government of Pakistan.

Import of vaccines will be allowed only from World Health Organisation (WHO) approved plants.

Pakistan currently trades with India under positive list regime and imports items through other countries, which increases the cost of the items in the local market.

An official of the ministry was quoted by the APP as saying that finalising the list will help to formally start trade between both the countries which would be beneficial for people.

He further said trade with India in negative list regime was allowed only to protect local industry and the items in the negative list would be phased out on December 31.

The government will ensure removal of all non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and provision of free access of Pakistani products in the Indian markets before phasing out of the items in the negative list.