NEW DELHI, Sept 13: Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha will address a group of Pakistani businessmen who arrived here on Saturday, officials and diplomats said.
They said the Sunday meeting of ranking business leaders of both countries would also be addressed also by Pakistan’s High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan.
A dozen businessmen from Pakistan, led by Mr Amin Hashwani, would participate in the discussions being organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). A previous visit of Pakistan’s businessmen was organised by the Federation of Indian Commerce and Industry.
The Sunday meeting is believed to have the support of the United States, among other countries seeking closer ties between the two neighbours.
CII’s chairman for the northern region Gautam Thapar spelt out the details of the latest Indo-Pakistan business agenda to US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca when the CII hosted a reception for her on Thursday.
Mr Thapar said the CII, in consultation with the Indian foreign ministry, had taken the lead in “tapping the tremendous unexplored economic potential between India and Pakistan.” He said an Indo-Pakistan CEOs Business Forum had been set up, where 20 business chiefs from both sides would hold their first meeting here this weekend.
Shortly, the CII will also organize an exhibition in India called “Made in Pakistan” to display Pakistan-made products and services. “The idea behind this is to foster strong trade ties with each other,” Mr Thapar said. “If that happens, our mutual political relationship is unlikely to fall below a certain threshold.”
CII President Anand Mahindra, who was at Wagah border to receive the Pakistani business delegation, elaborated some salient points, to be discussed at tomorrow’s business meeting, adds APP.
A delegation of Indian businessmen would visit Pakistan in November.
