December 20, 2002	Friday	Shawwal 15, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: Pakistan is likely to sign a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Sri Lanka next month, a senior official has said.

The official of the commerce ministry told Dawn on Thursday that the newly-elected commerce minister, Humayoon Akhtar Abdur Rehman Khan, would leave for Colombo next month to sign the agreement.

Earlier, the pact was scheduled to be signed on Oct 2, by former commerce minister Abdul Razak Dawood, but it was postponed owing to transition of government.

The official said the decision was taken following the repeated intimations from the Sri Lankan authorities asking for the early signing of the pact.

The Pakistani high commissioner in Sri Lanka had conveyed a message of the Lankan trade authorities to the Foreign Office to give final touches to the agreement, said the official.

Delegates who would accompany the minister to participate in the signing of the pact include traders of polyester, synthetic yarn, cosmetics, textile items, carpets, canvas and tents, leather and leather products, automobiles, marble and tiles, electrical appliances, engineering goods, rice, confectionery, bedwear items, plastic goods, readymade garments, cement, sea food, and fruits and vegetables.

The official was of the opinion that this agreement if signed would not only bring substantial increase in the volume of trade between the two countries but would also help save foreign exchange due to zero or low tariff on exportable items.