Open land routes, say Pak industrialists

Ravi S.Singh

Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, April 30
President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Nasir Khan, expressed the view that India and Pakistan should open up the land routes between the two countries to enhance the mobility of goods.

Khan is part of a high-powered delegation that is currently on a visit to India. He was here with the other delegates to attend a dinner hosted in their honour by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and the Gurgaon Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

The incumbent and the past presidents of PHDCCI, respectively, Sanjay Bhatia and P.K.Jain accompanied the delegation here. Khan said by opening the Lahore-Amritsar route would reduce the cost of transportation of goods.

Describing the delegation's visit to India as fruitful and eye-opener, he said that there was enough scope for expanding the bilateral trade between the two countries. For example he said that the two countries could import and export goods in which they were doing business with other countries. Sanjay Bhatia endorsed his views. On Pakistan not extending the "Most Favoured Nation" status to India, he said that things were likely to improve. He and Bhatia were of the view that the general perception on both the sides of the border was the business initiatives could compel both the establishments to transcend the traditional mindset of distrust.

P.K.Jain, the founder president of the GCCI and a first generation industrialist in Gurgaon ,played the master of ceremony.

The delegates were accompanied by their family members who enjoyed cultural programmes. Rahul Kakkar has been elected president of the GCCI, it announced on the occasion.