Pak-Thailand FTA talks from August 21

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Thailand will hold eighth round of talks to finalise free trade agreement (FTA) from August 21 to 23.

Both the sides had exchanged the offer lists of items for free trade, including automobile and textile sectors for removing the reservations, a senior official of the ministry of commerce told APP on Wednesday.

During the eighth round, he said, talks would be held on the text of agreement, tariff reduction modalities, request lists from both the sides and offer lists.

The FTA would be signed on September 25 to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries, he added. Thailand had comparative advantage in around 1,000 commodities, mainly electrical and electronic appliances, machinery and components and automobiles and parts.

Similarly, Pakistan has relative advantages in some 684 commodities, including cotton yarn and woven textiles, readymade garments, leather products, surgical instruments and sports goods, the official said.

Talking about the FTA with China, he said negotiations on Phase-II of the FTA with China would be held from September 13 to 14 in China headed by commerce secretary Younas Dhaga.