Minister for Planning and Development, Professor Ahsan Iqbal here on Monday stressed the need for liberalizing visa regime besides providing cellular roaming facilities to promote bilateral trade and economic relation between India and Pakistan.
Addressing the 29th SAARC Charter Day celebration held here, hesaid that with trade globalization in the world, the regionalization was also emerging and trade among the regional countries were rapidly growing. The minister said that friendly bilateral relation between India and Pakistan are vital to exploit the true trade potential of regional countries for benefiting the masses of the region.
During last 10 years, Pakistan has taken several steps to improve bilateral relation with india but unfortunately India has not responded positively and had adopted Pakistan bashing policies in its recent general elections, he added.
Meanwhile, he said that all the political parties in Pakistan concentrated and highlighted the domestic issues like energy, law and order in its general elections of May 11, 2013 instead of blaming India.
The minister said that both the countries were agreed to resolve the Siachen and Sir Creek Conflict but the Indian military establishment was not giving go head to resolve issues.
He said that the government, under the vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was working on zero conflict policy to address all outstanding issues with neighbouring countries like India and Afghanistan to improve trade and political ties.
Ahsan Iqbal stressed the need for starting sports and cultural activities besides enhancing people to people contacts for normalizing the environment to restore peace process between the two countries.
After the creation of SAARC, about 17 meetings and 34 ministerial conferences had been held but the intra-regional trade was still 5 percent, he observed.
He also regretted that despite having rich human and natural resources, the Human Development Index (HDI) in South Asian region is witnessing downward trend.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Industries and Production, Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi reiterated the government resolve to enhance industrial links with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries.
He appreciated the role of SAARC for addressing the different issues and challenges faced by the member states during last three decades and said that it has still to go a long way for making the region a hub of trade and investments.
Addressing the ceremony, Vice President SAARC CCI, Iftikhar Ali Malik said that main objective of the forum was the welfare of people of the region which was comprising over 45 percent young population.
He said that the region was enriched with natural resources including human resource capital adding that political will and proper infrastructure needed to untape these hidden potential.
He asked the SAARC member states to share their technologies to enhanceeducation, health care and other civic facilities for uplifting the living standard and alleviate poverty from the region.
Secretary General SAARC CCI, Iqbal Tabish said that the aim of the forum is to discuss and address the regional issues to foster the economic development by exploiting the available resources.
High Commissioner of India to Pakistan T C Raghvan also spoke on the occasion.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed between SAARC CCI and AHAN for implementing SAARC Handicraft village Project.
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