Regional ties best answer to global slowdown: Pakistan official

AMRITSAR: Stressing on regional cooperation as the best solution to the global economic slowdown, a Pakistan High Commission official today said that his country would soon be granting Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India.


"In the present scenario of global slowdown, regional ties are the best answer.

"India and Pakistan need to look beyond politics, towards shared economic gains," Pakistan High Commission minister (trade), Naeem Anwar, said while addressing a session -- 'Doing Business with Pakistan' -- organised by Confederation of Indian Industry here.

Anwar stressed on the need for introducing a visa-on- arrival facility, saying it was essential to boosting bilateral trade.

"There is an immense demand for each others' products in either country. Both countries should take advantage of the same. Indian businessmen can approach the Pakistani trade development authority on any issue," he added.

With a new, democratically-elected government set to assume power in Pakistan, Anwar was optimistic that "the relations between India and Pakistan are bound to improve manifold" as a result.

CII's Amritsar Zonal Council chairman Rajdeep Singh Uppal, too, called for greater economic cooperation between the two countries for enhanced prosperity in the region.

"Stronger trade and economic ties between (India and Pakistan) will facilitate faster integration of the economies of the region, which in turn will have a direct bearing on the prosperity of the South Asian region," Uppal said.