Islamabad: Pakistan Commerce Secretary Zafar Mahmood has said that the government will not grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India unless a mechanism is evolved to protect domestic industry.
"We are making sure that we will safeguard our industry first by consulting all stakeholders, including all chambers of commerce and other trade associations, before we grant MFN status (to India) and there is no international pressure in this regard," Mahmood said.
Trade defence laws existed to protect domestic industry and the government could use any of the four laws – National Tariff Commission Act of 1990, Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance of 2000, Countervailing Duties Ordinance of 2001 and Safeguard Measures Ordinance of 2002 to protect local industry, he told the Senate's Standing Committee on Commerce.
The Commerce Ministry is preparing a negative list for trade with India in consultation with all stakeholders.
"I have attended more than two dozen meetings across the country during the past six months in this regard," Mahmood said.
In order to remove confusion regarding the granting of MFN status to India, the Commerce Ministry is going to launch a Pakistan-India specific comprehensive awareness programme for the business community and other stakeholders.
"The awareness programme will be launched across the country by arranging seminars and workshops, and academic institutions and print and electronic media will be involved in this programme," he said.
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