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Pakistan seeks access for textile exports to US 

By our correspondents
October 19, 2016

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday asked the United States to revise travel advisory, ensure a preferential access to the country’s textile products and ease visa regime for exporters of information technology-related services to further strengthen trade ties between the two countries. 

Khurram Dastgir Khan, minister for commerce, said this during the 8th Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) council meeting.

The commerce minister is heading the Pakistan’s delegation to deliberate upon the trade ties between the two countries. The US delegation is led by Ambassador Michael Froman, United States Trade Representative (USTR) at the meeting, and included Ambassador David Hale, Matthew Vogel, deputy USTR and others. 

The Pakistani delegation included Secretary Commerce Azmat Ranjha, Additional Secretary Commerce Asad Hayauddin and Trade Minister at Washington DC Ali Tahir.  Minister Khan said there are several reasons for which Pakistan deserves preferential access to the US textile market. 

“Several international institutions have substantiated Pakistan’s stable economy, while the security situation has also greatly improved,” he said. “Pakistan is now a lot safer today than it was a few years ago.” 

The minister said a durably stable Pakistan will not only bring prosperity to its people, but will also allow it to play its role in creating a stable region, “which is our mutual goal.”  Ambassador Michael Forman said TIFA serves as a premier forum for advancing bilateral trade investment relationship. 

“Current economic relationship with Pakistan is just a fraction of what it could be and with TIFA we can seek that potential,” Forman said. He said under the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, important structural reforms have been undertaken in Pakistan. 

He said the economic and energy reforms resulted in enhancing overall economic growth and lowering inflation and provided a conducive environment for further strengthening the trade ties between two countries. 

During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways and means to improve access of Pakistani exports, including textiles and agricultural items, and enforcement of intellectual property rights in Pakistan, dispute resolution mechanisms, opening up of defence procurement in Afghanistan to Pakistani companies, holding of the next business opportunities conference in Pakistan and other trade related matters.