FTA by Sept 30 with Bangladesh: Aziz, Khaleda hold talks
By Ahmed Hassan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: Pakistan and Bangladesh on Monday signed four MoUs and agreed to finalise the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by Sept 30 aimed at enhancing bilateral trade.
The accord was reached at official talks between Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and visiting Bangladesh Premier Khaleda Zia.
The memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed at a simple but impressive ceremony in presence of the two prime ministers.
The MoUs pertain to agricultural research, tourism, import-export, setting up of a standardised and quality control authority in Pakistan and a standard testing institution in Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Aziz said the epoch-making decision on the FTA would go a long way in providing free trade and investment opportunities to the entrepreneurs of the two countries.
Addressing a joint news conference later, both heads of the government said they had agreed on promotion of bilateral cooperation. Differences will be resolved through dialogue and both sides will provide chances of progress and prosperity between the two countries.
Mr Aziz described Begum Zia’s visit as historic. He pointed out that although a head of the Bangladesh government was visiting Pakistan after a long time, both countries had been getting closer on the Saarc platform.
He said both countries had signed agreements to enhance cooperation between the two countries. “We are playing our role for the establishment of peace and promotion of true concept of Islam in the world.”
The Bangladesh premier said she had held extremely fruitful talks with her Pakistani counterpart covering all issues of bilateral interests as well as international and regional matters of mutual concern.
Both countries, Mr Aziz said, were active members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) and both were eager to strengthening the Organisation of Islamic Conference for a better future of Ummah.
He said Pakistan and Bangladesh had decided to enter into Free Trade Agreement and start its implementation from Sept 30, 2006 to promote investment.
He said Pakistan wanted to benefit from Bangladesh’s experiences in micro-finance, social sector and population welfare whereas it can extend support to Bangladesh in IT and some other sectors.
He said both sides had identical views on important international and regional issues.
The Bangladeshi leader said: “Our discussions held today would pave the way for more meaningful and productive bilateral relations”.
She said Saarc also came up for discussion and both sides agreed to extend support for operationalisation of Safta (South Asia Free Trade Area).
She expressed satisfaction over the annual foreign secretary-level negotiations and at the eighth meeting of the joint economic commission this month.
Mr Aziz said: “Our talks have been held in an atmosphere of friendship and cordiality that characterises the Bangladesh-Pakistan relations.”
The Bangladesh leader extended an invitation to her Pakistani counterpart which was accepted.
APP adds: Mr Aziz said that Pakistan already had a preferential treatment for tea import from Bangladesh and it would like to extend it to other countries.
He said they had agreed to expand trade by getting more goods from Bangladesh and extending cooperation between the two business sectors.
Meanwhile, Islamabad increased the number of scholarships to 100 for the Bangladeshi students studying in Pakistan.
