June 7, 2003	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 6, 1424

ISLAMABAD, June 6: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan on Friday left for the United States to formally seek textile quota re-configuration providing maximum market access for the country’s textile products in the next financial year.

Officials said that the commerce minister was also likely to discuss the modalities of the proposed trade and investment facilitation agreement (TIFA) with the US authorities, paving way for a free trade agreement between the two countries.

Other major issues, they said, likely to be discussed by the two sides include travel advisories, which had affected inflow of investment and tourists into Pakistan.

According to official figures, Pakistan’s exports to the US increased by 16.8 per cent during the July-March 2003 to $1.865 billion against $1.597bn last year.

Statistics showed that the country’s export of textile and garments increased to $5.2 billion during the July-March period of the current financial year against $4.3bn during the same period last year, showing an increase of over a billion dollars.