KARACHI, July 14: President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Riaz Ahmed Tata has urged the government to actively involve the representatives of national business organizations of India and Pakistan (FICCI and FPCCI) in talks between Pakistan and India on economic and commercial cooperation to be held in Lahore on August 11-12, 2004.

He hoped that the upcoming talks would promote all-round cooperation between the two countries and benefit their people. In a statement, he said that the trade volume between Pakistan and India of $237 million in 2002-03 is negligible as compared to the big potential available for manifold increase in bilateral trade.

He said that the two governments would have to take concrete measures to stop smuggling and illegal trade on their borders. "The two countries will also have to allow frequent interaction and meetings between the businessmen for which five-year visa be issued to the businessmen and the facilities for communication and transportation need to be expanded", he added.

Mr Tata said that the entrepreneurs of the two countries need to be given due encouragement and support for the establishment of joint industrial ventures in textiles, textile machinery, chemicals, engineering, information technology etc.