KARACHI: The All Pakistan Textiles Mills Association (Aptma) has demanded non-discriminatory market access in India before granting it the Most Favorite Nation (MFN) status, stressing that without level playing field there could be no trade liberalisation between the two nations.

In a statement issued on Monday, Aptma chairman Muhammad Yasin Siddik pointed out that trade balance is heavily tilted in favour of India due to a whole array of regulatory duties and other levies on imports from Pakistan

India’s central and state governments separately give various rebates and incentives to their exporters which make their exports cheap and results in dumping in other countries including Pakistan, the Aptma leader said.

He cited a number of taxes and levies imposed on Pakistan’s textile items and added that without removing inequalities Pakistan should not move forward in opening its borders to Indian textiles.