February 29, 2008	Friday	Safar 21, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: Experts discussing Doha development agenda here on Thursday said trade liberalisation should be translated into development of people and reduction in poverty level in the country.

They were speaking at the two-day training workshop for journalists on the issue “Doha Round: Trade, Development and Poverty linkages”. The workshop was jointly organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Actionaid Pakistan, and attended by journalists from leading newspapers and TV channels.

Executive Director of SDPI Dr Abid Suleri said it was promised and strongly advocated by developed countries that trade would enhance development and ultimately reduce poverty.

Unfortunately trade could not deliver according to perceived perceptions due to unfair and exploitative role of developed countries, he added.

Dr Suleri said unemployment and poverty incidence had increased contrary to government claims. No doubt trade share in GDP has increased to 36 per cent but it resulted in worse trade deficit in Pakistan’s history.

He said import bill had increased very sharply in the last year, especially of food and petroleum products. Social indicators of Pakistan are not different from economic indicators. Now Pakistan is ranked 136 in human development index (HDI) as against 134 in the previous publication of UNDP report.

Director-General of Foreign Trade Institute of Pakistan (FTIP) Dr Safdar Sohail favoured the argument of policy coherence for sustainable development.

He said policy coherence not only at international and regional level but also at national level was a key instrument for trickle down of trade benefits.

ASEAN countries are prominent example of policy coherence beneficiary. However, at the moment we lack policy coherence at national and international level, he added.

Chief WTO Cell Minfal Dr Wajid Peerzada urged for more fair and development-oriented outcomes in agriculture negotiations.

Eng M. Jabbar said co-efficient of tariff cut should be more flexible for developing and least developed countries.

Majid Bashir, director legal of Press Council, said the government should create awareness among the stakeholders about the gains of intellectual property rights.

He said IPR could also help in introducing new brands to grab international market.