ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: Pakistan and India will start the second-round of negotiations for removing tariff and non-tariff barriers that restricted the flow of trade between the two countries. An official source told Dawn on Saturday that a high-level official delegation led by Additional Secretary Commerce Syed Asif Shah would leave on Monday for New Delhi to deliberate with his Indian counterpart on trade related issues as part of composite dialogue. The first round was held in Islamabad in August 2004.

Other members of the Pakistani delegation include CBR Member (Exports) Zafar Majeed; Joint Secretary Commerce Shahid Bashir; Director General Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibne Abbas; Joint Secretary Ministry of Port and Shipping Syed M. Hassan Zaidi and Joint Secretary Ministry of Defence Chaudhry Qamar Zaman.

The delegation during the meeting scheduled for August 9-10 would discuss various proposals for enhancing bilateral trade. The Indian government has already demanded of Pakistan to allow Indian investment in the telecommunication sector, demanded to include more items in the positive lists, allow permanent land trade through Wagha border, land access to Central Asian States and Afghanistan etc. These issues would be discussed at length during the meeting.