ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: Trade ministers of World Trade Organisation member states are meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in four days to discuss crucial global issues, but Pakistani government is yet to decide which ministry should represent the country on Indian rice export subsidy proposal.

State Minister for Commerce Eng Khurram Dastgir Khan will lead the official delegation at the WTO ministerial scheduled for December 3-6, where officials from 159 member states will strive to revive the stalled negotiations on Doha Development Agenda.

Sources told Dawn that the foreign ministry is insisting that it should represent Pakistan at the Indian move seeking legal cover for subsidy on rice exports to the world market at the Bali moot.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to decide the matter because he holds both the portfolios of foreign affairs and commerce.

A source in the foreign office said that the prime minister is likely to announce a committee under the supervision of foreign ministry which will handle the rice export issue at the ministerial.

Contrary to this, another source in the prime minister secretariat said that the commerce ministry has also approached the PM office, arguing that the issue falls under the ambit of the trade ministry.

Normally, member countries having commerce ministries and their special missions based at Geneva conduct such meetings on behalf of their host countries. However, those countries which do not have representation at the Geneva-based WTO are represented by their foreign offices.

In case of Pakistan, a full-fledged special mission was stationed at Geneva headed by a trade ambassador to WTO since 2002. Currently, Shahid Bashir is Pakistan’s permanent representative and ambassador to the global trade body.

The Geneva-mission is funded and guided by the Ministry of Commerce besides appointment of officers at the mission. Even commerce ministry has a full-fledged wing on WTO headed by a joint secretary-level official.

The source said that despite the clear rules of business, the fighting between the ministries over the representation on Indian proposal at the WTO would harm the Pakistan’s position.

Trade experts say WTO deals with a multilateral trade issues, and not bilateral. The seeking of legal cover for subsidy on rice exports is not an issue between Pakistan and India, but a global issue.

India is lobbying for getting legal cover for subsidy on rice exports, a move which is likely to affect Pakistan’s rice exports besides hurting interest of other rice-exporting countries like Thailand and Vietnam.