ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has demanded that Britain should compensate her for the loss this country might suffer in her export in case the United Kingdom joined the Common Market.

The demand was contained in an aide memoire, which the Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Mr Vaqar Ahmed handed to the British High Commissioner in Pakistan, Sir Cyril Pickard, here today [May 27].

Although no exact figures were currently available, it was estimated that Pakistani exports to Britain would come down by Rs three crore a year, if Britain gets the protection of common external tariff protection prevailing in the Common Market area.

Pakistani exports to Britain at present were around Rs 30 crore a year and most of them enter that country under tariff conditions because of Commonwealth preferences.

The aide memoire mentioned the Pakistani desire that an adequate transition period in Commonwealth trade, to adjust itself to the new and largely adverse conditions, should be allowed before Britain fully participates in the Common Market. This would help Pakistan, and other countries, to diversify its trade and find new markets.

It also said Pakistan wanted that the British entry into the European Economic Community should not affect the Commonwealth politically. And the rights of Commonwealth citizens, particularly in respect of movement and the facility of home remittances for workers, should be safeguarded.

[Meanwhile, as reported by our correspondent in Rawalpindi,] The Central Law Minister, Mr S.M. Zafar, announced at a press conference here this afternoon [May 27] that the President has appointed eight members to serve on the Law Reforms Commission which was recently constituted with Mr Justice Hamoodur Rahman of the Supreme Court as its Chairman, to ascertain causes of delay in disposal of justice and recommend ways to remove them.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2017