Pakistan expands list of products for trade with India

Dawn said that this was Islamabad's second attempt this year to enhance imports from India. The commerce ministry had allowed import of eight items from India in February, but New Delhi did not reciprocate by committing any specific deadline for reducing non-tariff barriers on imports from Pakistan.

The commerce ministry has now approved a list of over 18 items that would be sent to the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet for approval, a source was qouted as saying.

After it is approved, the items will be added to the list of tradable items from India. The list includes machinery and raw material for industries.

Dawn said that for the first time, Pakisan has also permitted import of printed books of all kinds and newsprint from India.

Though newsprint import was already permitted, it was now proposed to be allowed via land route to reduce its cost for importers.

The approved list includes empty aluminium alloy milk cans, accessories for leather bags and footwear, polymers, fungicides for leather industry and other chemicals for the leather industry.

As many as 1,964 items can now be imported from India.
Trade between India and Pakistan during April-December 2010 had gone up to $3 billion from $1.85 billion during the whole of fiscal 2009-10.

Pakistani Commerce Minister Amin Fahim is expected to visit New Delhi later this month to discuss India's long-term request for Most Favoured Nation status, among other issues.