KARACHI: The All Pakistan Textiles Mills (APTMA) has urged India to grant non-discriminatory market access (NDMA) before seeking MFN status from Pakistan, stressing that without level playing field there will be no trade liberalisation between the two neighbouring countries.
In statement issued here, APTMA Chairman Muhammad Yasin Siddik said that currently trade balance heavily tilted in favour of India due to whole array of regulatory duties and other levies on imports from Pakistan besides various rebates and incentives to Indian exporters from state and central governments. He lauded the constitution of a high level committee under the chair of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and comprised of Commerce Minister Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan and other federal secretaries. The committee has expressed the fact that for the NDMA process to progress further, India must give tangible concessions on exports items to provide a level playing field wherein both the Pakistan and India has an equal chance to increase their exports to each other. The APTMA Chairman lauded the efforts of Minister for Commerce and Textile Industry Engr Khuarrm Dastagir Khan for having taken all the stakeholders on board before formulating his suggestions.