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| Cross LoC trade talks on Monday | | UNCERTAINTY OVER FRESH DATES | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Sept 19: Even though the Cross-LoC trade appears to have run into troubled waters for now, New Delhi and Islamabad still maintain their schedule of hammering out differences on list of goods to be traded. The meeting is being held in New Delhi on Monday in which other modalities of trade relations are likely to be settled.
Meanwhile, as always reported in our today’s edition, the traders and businessmen have pushed a renewed list of 20 items to be put on the trade list. All efforts are being made to convince the government to have as many items listed.
It may be mentioned here that on the list of goods to be traded across Line of Control, Jammu has not got a free deal. Rajmash and Basmati Rice, besides some other pulses, are the only items from Jammu region on the trade list.
“As per the existing list, the trade will be more of symbolic in nature and not the business”, said Ram Sahai, President Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Sahai said if some items from the list they have forwarded are included the entire economy profile of Jammu will be up for a massive change for the good.
India and Pakistan will attempt to finalise a list of goods for trading across the Jammu and Kashmir line of control. Modalities for opening up two trading points along the LoC is likely to be complete during talks set to take place next Monday.
Official sources said India would like trade between the two sides to start as early as October. ``What we have been wanting is to start in October if it happens nothing like it. We are ready,’’ said an official on condition of anonymity. Apart from finalising the two lists for zero tariff regime, the India-Pakistan joint working group on cross-LoC CBMs will also look into modalities, which includes border management and customs arrangements, for opening up the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkot routes as trading points.
Even though tension between the two sides has been rising in the aftermath of the Kabul embassy blasts and continuing cross-border incursions, there seems to be political will on the Pakistani side to push cross-border trade. ``The Pakistan government does want to proceed. The meeting has been convened at Pakistan’s suggestion...on our part we want to start as soon as we can,’’ said sources.
Pakistan watchers maintained that this renewed interest on Islamabad’s side also stemmed from Pakistan president Zardari’s attempts to score political points domestically, especially at a time when the Indian government has been struggling to control the fall out of the Amarnath land transfer issue in Jammu and Kashmir. ``It’s a way to tell his own people that that we have responded to the people of Kashmir. |
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