Pak biz people want unrestricted mobile roaming in India; visa hassles to go
Updated: Mar 20, 2014 04:31:47pm
New Delhi, Mar 20 (KNN) A visiting trade delegation from Pakistan wants India to grant them visas without hassles and allow mobile roaming as and when they visit their Indian partners for commercial engagement.
They also urged the Pakistan Government to reciprocate in a similar fashion as and when an Indian trader or a business delegation visits the neighbouring country.
These points came out at a meeting of a delegation comprising of 16 members from leading Pakistan business chambers, largely from the SME sector. Currently, there are 3.9 million SMEs in Pakistan, contributing to 75 per cent of production, 30-40 per cent of exports while generating high levels of employment.
The meeting was held here yesterday under the aegis of FISME (Federation of Indian micro, small and medium enterprises) and GIZ (German Development Agency).
Pakistani businessmen are normally awarded 15 day visas. “If I have to actively trade, I would need to come once a month and it is cumbersome to apply every month. A one year multiple entry visa would be ideal,” said Chairman, SAARC Business Promotion Committee, Rehmatullah Javed.
He went on to list other issues such as absence of telephone connections, banking facilities, regulations regarding investments, different standards followed by inspection agencies, problems in transferring finances, etc, calling for a few adjustments to be made by both countries to boost trade.
Chairman of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Junaid Esmail Makda has been working towards promoting trade between the two countries for about a decade.
He is certainly hopes that the various rounds of discussion would result in removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers where people of both countries can travel freely. He also hopes that a MOU would be signed to promote economic growth and enhanced business between both countries.
He wants ‘Most Preferred Nation’ status to be granted by each country to other and called for further reduction in list of negative items.
Several representatives of the Indian delegation too commented on similar trade barriers. Having to route their products through a third country has cost them more in terms of time, expense, etc. Hence they are eagerly waiting for Wagah border to open for easy exchange of goods and services. (KNN/ES)
They also urged the Pakistan Government to reciprocate in a similar fashion as and when an Indian trader or a business delegation visits the neighbouring country.
These points came out at a meeting of a delegation comprising of 16 members from leading Pakistan business chambers, largely from the SME sector. Currently, there are 3.9 million SMEs in Pakistan, contributing to 75 per cent of production, 30-40 per cent of exports while generating high levels of employment.
The meeting was held here yesterday under the aegis of FISME (Federation of Indian micro, small and medium enterprises) and GIZ (German Development Agency).
Pakistani businessmen are normally awarded 15 day visas. “If I have to actively trade, I would need to come once a month and it is cumbersome to apply every month. A one year multiple entry visa would be ideal,” said Chairman, SAARC Business Promotion Committee, Rehmatullah Javed.
He went on to list other issues such as absence of telephone connections, banking facilities, regulations regarding investments, different standards followed by inspection agencies, problems in transferring finances, etc, calling for a few adjustments to be made by both countries to boost trade.
Chairman of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Junaid Esmail Makda has been working towards promoting trade between the two countries for about a decade.
He is certainly hopes that the various rounds of discussion would result in removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers where people of both countries can travel freely. He also hopes that a MOU would be signed to promote economic growth and enhanced business between both countries.
He wants ‘Most Preferred Nation’ status to be granted by each country to other and called for further reduction in list of negative items.
Several representatives of the Indian delegation too commented on similar trade barriers. Having to route their products through a third country has cost them more in terms of time, expense, etc. Hence they are eagerly waiting for Wagah border to open for easy exchange of goods and services. (KNN/ES)
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