KARACHI, March 10: The Indian government is currently not considering withdrawing tariff concessions given to Pakistan under South Asia Free Trade Agreement (Safta) though it has the option as Pakistan has singled out India for exclusion in the notification issued in July 2006, Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal said on Saturday.

The observations were made at the luncheon meeting of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry where issues on bilateral trade, easing of visa and travel facilities, and economic relations were raised by the business leaders.

The business leaders referred to the hints made by the Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath at the Saarc Ministerial Conference held in Khatmandu last month on the possibility of reviewing all concessions offered to Pakistan under Safta.

“There is no such threat,” Mr Pal clarified, but made it clear that Safta agreement has to be implemented in ‘letter and spirit’ while making it a point that “if you refuse to accept any part or provision of the agreement, it negates the spirit.”

He declared that non-tariff barriers being applied in India were not Pakistan specific, but these are part of Indian policy applicable on all imports to India.

Indian trade with all countries of the world, the Indian High Commissioner said was increasing at a fast pace and pointed towards its bilateral trade volume with China, which touched $20 billion figure this year and was fast approaching $40 billion a year in the next five years.

“So is our trade with Asean states on fast track,” he said to declare that India’s economy is now the fastest growing after China in the region.

“Pakistan has all the potential of a natural destination for Indian tourists,” Mr Pal said adding that during last year 15 million Indians visited many parts of the world, and of them only 10,000 came to Pakistan.

“More than 100,000 visitors from Pakistan visited India,” the Indian diplomat disclosed without mentioning directly the number of visas being issued by Pakistan High Commission in India and the Indian High Commission in Pakistan.

He identified tourism, information technology and a few other areas as ‘high potential sectors’ where bilateral collaboration was possible between Pakistan and India. In the context of research and development, he spoke of the Indian excellence and, without being specific, hinted at aviation industry as one possible area as Pakistan’s national airline is terribly hard-pressed.

Trade is one activity which opens up opportunities for collaboration in many areas, he said adding that there are bilateral issues that can be resolved only by bilateral diplomacy, and growth of bilateral trade can lead to the stage where these can be addressed.

Mr Pal, however, expressed satisfaction that increasing number of people in Pakistan are now focussing on ‘commonalities’ between the two countries.” Challenges confronting the growth of understanding between the two countries can be addressed in the context of these commonalities.

About a dozen business leaders, including President KCCI Majyd Aziz, former presidents Siraj Kassim Teli, Zubair Motiwala and Tahir Khaliq pleaded for increasing visa facilities, better travelling arrangements and widening opportunities for people-to-people contacts between India and Pakistan.

References were made to the close historical and cultural links between the two peoples that hardly has parallel in the world. “If European Union can emerge as a single common market of 25 countries, why can’t Saarc become a most powerful trade and economic group of the world,” Majyd Aziz asked.