Trade with India

This refers to the letter ‘Blessing in disguise’ (December 8) by Arif Majeed. I don’t agree with the assertion that unrestricted bilateral trade with India will prove to be disastrous for Pakistan. Our country has a plenty of products that can be exported to India. In the 1980s, Pakistan exported a vast amount of value-added textile products to India. It is also important to mention that Isndia’s rising population indicates that the country needs hundreds of manufacturing facilities that can cater to the growing demand.

India is always short of consumer, day-to-day items. This is where Pakistan can come in and export large amounts of consumer items to India. A majority of Pakistani factories run at 25 to 40 percent capacity. If the trade with India opens up, these factories can operate at 100 percent capacity, resulting in more products for the domestic market as well. In light of this, it won’t be wrong to say that trade with India can be a win-win situation for the two countries.

Asad A Khan

London