ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: Pakistan has rejected India's demand for a negative list based trade that India considers necessary for increasing bilateral trade volume.

A commerce ministry official told Dawn on Friday that India wanted to do away with the current positive list trade between the two countries that limited imports of Indian products to Pakistan. The positive list trade with India was adopted to provide protection to the local production and industries.

According to the official, the commerce ministry, however, constituted a committee headed by senior joint secretary Yaseen Tahir to identify items to be included in the positive list.

Mostly raw materials would be considered for inclusion in the list along with those products which were not manufactured locally, added the official. When asked about the exact numbers to be considered for addition in the positive list, the official said that it was too early to confirm the exact number of items at this stage.

"Once finalized, the list will be sent to the cabinet for approval before offering it to India." At present the total number of items placed under the positive list stood at 746 at sixth digit for trading with India. Pakistan added around 60 items few months back in the positive list.

Of these total items, Pakistan has so far given concession to India on around 463 items at the sixth digit level (the ranking of this category of items on the list containing all categories of items).

There is still room for giving duty concession to India under the Sapta on 277 more items at sixth digit level, which are already placed under positive list for trading.