October 21, 2007	Sunday	Shawwal 8, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 20: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is deemed to be a consensus driven organisation designed to achieve gains from trade for its members both developed and developing countries.

This was stated by Inamul Haque, Advisor on WTO and chairman, Economic and Social Policy Planning Cell, Punjab, here on Saturday.

He said general exceptions to the GATT agreement are of great practical importance, particularly for a country like Pakistan which has chosen to make international trade an important instrument of economic growth and poverty alleviation.

Addressing the participants of the workshop on general exceptions of the WTO-Article XX of the GATT, he said that the WTO is often misunderstood. There are two diametrically perspectives about this multilateral institution.

This institution, in fact, is the only multilateral institution that has been established in an age of globalisation. So, it is important that we should dispassionately examine the nature and role of WTO for our economy in the world, he added.—APP