Canada urged to go for free trad accord
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi here on Friday said that Canada should go for Free Trade Agreement or Preferential Trading Arrangement’with Pakistan for enhancing bilateral trade and economic relations between the two countries.
Talking to President Pak-Canada Business Council, Anwar (Andy) Merchant, the ICCI president said that both the countries have good trade relations, which needed to be expanded. He was of the view that Pakistan was full of natural resources and Canada through investment in export-oriented industries could definitely help boost Pakistan’s exports.
He appreciated the role of Pak-Canada Business Council in increasing the two-way trade activities adding that with the efforts of the Council, trade and investment opportunities between Pakistan and Canada were increasing gradually. He said that Canada has tremendous expertise in telecommunications, IT, mining, pharmaceuticals, bio-technology and education sector and asked for the assistance of the Council with Pakistan in these sectors.
He said that Pak-Canada trade volume was just $696 million and that of this the share of Pakistani exports was only $201 million. He said that Pakistan was facing unfavourable market access conditions as compared to its competitors, who have been capitalizing on duty and quota free export concessions since January 2003 under Canadian Market Access Initiative (for LDCs).
He said that 75 per cent of Pakistan’s exports to Canada were textile and clothing although Canada had given preferences to Pakistan only on 55 items under its Generalized Trade Preferences. Speaking on the occasion, Anwar (Andy) Merchant, said that Council was acting as a bridge in building strong trade and economic relations between the two countries adding that Canada was interested for investment in energy, transportation, food and auto industry.
He said that Pakistan-Canada Business Council was making efforts to create linkages between the entrepreneurs of both the countries and stressed for exchanges of business delegations and participation in the exhibitions. He said that Council is also working on FTA, so as to help accelerate Pakistan’s exports to Canadian market. He proposed for bringing a ICCI delegation to participate in the exhibitions and make business contacts with the Canadian entrepreneurs.
Among others, the meeting was attended by former ICCI presidents Munawar Moughal, Khalid Javed and by Ashfaq Chuttha, Khalid Malik, and Zia Muhai ud din.