Govt urged to take traders in confidence on WTO
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—A seminar on WTO was held with the collaboration of FPCCI at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) under the chairmanship of Malik Sohail Hussain, Senior Vice President of ICCI. Dr. Manzoor Ahmad, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to WTO in Geneva and Vice President FPCCI, Mr. Zubair Ahmad Malik were Chief guest. The Director General Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Additional Secretary Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Naseem Ahmad, the Chairman Engineering Development Board, Mr. Imtiaz Ali Rastgar and renowned traders and industrialists from different sectors attended the seminar. Dr. Manzoor Ahmad gave presentation on important WTO matters with respect to Pakistan.
In his speech Malik Sohail Hussain SVP ICCI said Pakistan is the member of WTO since last two years but the exports of Pakistan is still not satisfactory and various countries has imposed antidumping duty on Pakistani exports products which lowers the exports. He further said that European Union has imposed antidumping duty on Pakistani Bed linen which is against the WTO regime. He urged the government to take industrialist and traders in confidence about WTO implementation.
Vice President, Mr. Zubair Ahmad Malik said the FPCCI will organize seminars to create awareness on WTO in various cities of Pakistan. He appealed business community to attend the seminars and workshops to get awareness about WTO.
Mr. Nasir Qureshi, Chairman Pharmaceutical Association expressing his views said that with implementation of WTO regime the Pharmaceutical Sector of Pakistan has effected and multinational companies are getting their monopoly against local traders and industrialists.
Dr. Manzoor Ajmad assured that the problems of Pharmaceutical sector will be presented through the platform of FPCCI and will be highlighted in the agenda of next ministerial meeting of WTO, which are likely to be held in Hong Kong.
Sohail Rabbani, Vice President ICCI, Ishtiaq Qureshi, Mohsin Khalid, Siddqiue Butt, Muzzamal Sabri, Munawar Mughal, Munawar Iqbal and Rashid Humayen also expressed their views.
At the end SVP, ICCI, Malik Sohail Hussain presented ICCI insignia to Dr. Manzoor Ahmad, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to WTO in Geneva.