Terming Pakistan as the biggest roadblock in free trade movement in the South Asian region, India on Thursday said that Non-Tariff Barrier (NTB) imposed by Pakistan has been badly affecting bilateral trade. The statement from Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup came after Pakistan talked about NTB in South Asia with World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Roberto Azevedo during his visit to Islamabad.
“As far as we are concerned, there are high NTBs in the region, not on Pakistan but from it. Pakistan does not allow movement of all importable items from India through Wagah. In fact, it allows only 138 items. This is the biggest NTB for thousands of Indian tariff lines which have to be routed through Karachi, raising costs, including for consumers in Pakistan. Moreover, the fact that Pakistan has not extended Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India even after lapse of close to 20 years since India unilaterally did so, is not in keeping with WTO norms,” Swarup said.
Referring to Pakistan apprising Azevedo about investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Swarup said it is a two-country initiative, part of which is proposed on Indian territory under Pakistan’s illegal occupation. “CPEC is a two-country initiative, part of which is proposed on Indian territory under Pakistan’s illegal occupation. Our views in this regard are well-known. Pakistan is a member of SAARC and as such it is expected to contribute constructively to regional connectivity initiatives, including those which it did not support in the last SAARC Summit,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, India has welcomed the Afghanistan Government signing a pact with Hezb-e-Islami, a militant group led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The MEA official said India welcomes efforts to bring lasting peace to that country. “We hope that such developments will encourage others to also give up violence and join the peace talks with the Government of Afghanistan,” he said.