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| ‘Peace OK, but this is no trade’ | | We are home, at last: PaK traders | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 12: “After so much of struggle and a sincere eagerness to see this day through we are feeling at home as we touch ground in Jammu breaking gap of 61 years”, this is how responded a suave and apparently well learned Zulfikar Abbasi, the president of Muzaffarabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries as his local counterparts stretched their arms over the red carpets to receive trade delegation from across the Line of Control here this afternoon.
Abbasi leads a 19-member delegation of leading traders and representatives of various chambers in different parts of Pakistan administered Kashmir. The delegation which arrived here to a warm welcome here this afternoon was later given a presentation on the trade potential of Jammu over a formal welcome meet significantly hosted by the Muslim Federation and conducted by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Federation of Industries.
It was a melting of emotions as hall rocked with sounds of clapping when the stage introduced each of the guests from Muzaffarabad delegation. Barring one Kashmiri speaking businessman, Abbasi’s delegation has all “semi-Punjabi” speakers –an accent and tone which one fails to differentiate from the one spoken in Jammu.
Referring to globalization and then linking it to their emotional urges, both sides stressed for blurring of borders to not only push the economies but also make the hearts meet. Traders and industrialists from Jammu welcomed and hosted the delegation in a manner as if affection was more important than the business. “I hope you take along a memorable experience from here which attracts you back to Jammu again and again”, said Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey, who was a special guest on the occasion.
In address, heard by the participant by rapt attention, Abbasi that enhanced trading between nations and communities has become necessity and compulsion in the new world order in context of globalization. Dwelling upon the trade patterns of ASEAN and European Union, he regretted that a similar framework in context of SAFTA is yet to be fully operationalised.
Describing the Cross-LoC trade between two parts of Jammu and Kashmir as beginning of a thousands miles journey, the PaK trade leader pointed out that the gesture of India and Pakistan is yet to be supported by enabling infrastructure. Calling upon his counterparts in Jammu to help remove bottleneck, Abbasi reminded the gathering, “our seriousness is must for the success of this trade”. Without addressing basic issues, trade can not be a reality, he added.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the President of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries Ram Sahai stressed for taking into account the local potential of each area for zeroing on the trade list. President of Federation of Industries, Annil Suri gave a comprehensive overview of the trade potential in Jammu and Kashmir.
Besides Jammu Divisional Commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey, the City Mayor Kavinder Gupta also spoke on the occasion.
On their arrival at airport here this afternoon, the was received by President Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Federation of Industries Ram Sahai at the airport. Secretary Industries Pawan Kotwal, Director Industries Pradeep Gupta, SSP Jammu Mr. Manohar Singh besides members of CCI and Federation of Industries were also present.
The PaK trade delegation which is on a four-day visit to Jammu comprises of Raja Muhammad Jamil, Raja Khalid Mahmood Khan, Muhammad Azeem Mustaq, Abdul Qayyum Qamar, Khalid Sharif, Raja Muhammad Iqbal, Shabbir Ahmed Cheachi, Muhammad Anwar Bajwa, Nisar ur Rehman Abbasi, Sardar Shahid Mahmood, Sohail Shafi Uppal, Khawaja Farooq Ahmed Qadri, Kh. Tariq Mahmod Wani, Chaudhary Muhammad Shafiq, Altaf Hamid Nizami, Chodhary Khalid Mehmood, Mirza Shabir Kanwal and Muhammad Mubeen Khan.
ABBASI SAYS
• The list of commodities to be exchanged is an eye wash but the gesture behind this is magnanimous which needs to be appreciated. This is a first step towards a journey which we have to travel thousands miles together.
• We understand that this trade will push the peace process but even minimum basic requirements of infrastructure are not in place. This is good for want of a ceremonial beginning but not for practical trade.
• With only 1 to 1.5 metric tonne truck allowed to ply on Cross-LoC route, we can probably exchange gifts with each other and not the commodities for trade. After all we are not dealing in precious stones that a truck load of material would suffice. This is not a business of profit…this is business of straight loss.
• We do not have any dependable or minimally workable communication system between two sides. When you can’t talk to each other over phone, you don’t have any postal, parcel or courier services…what kind of trade you can think of? Trades are not done incommunicado.
• We are about to start trade which needs enhanced contacts but experiences are not quite impressive when we look at Cross-LoC bus services. Permit system is too cumbersome and lengthy. Just imagine, if an apple grower applies for permit when produce is ripe for the markets and he gets permission when season is over. Can there be trade in such situation?
• We –representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Jammu, Srinagar and Muzaffarabad –should give shape to a joint Chamber and pursue these issues with Governments of India and Pakistan.
• The bottlenecks listed above are no way an indication of the insincerity of our respective governments. The governments indeed are sincere enough which is why today we are here together. These issues will have to be addressed to make this initiative successful.
• This trade should an inland exercise as good as it can be between Kashmir and Jammu or between Muzaffarabad and Rawalakote.
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