ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: 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.

A commerce ministry official told Dawn on Tuesday that Commerce Secretary Tasneem Noorani would leave for New Delhi on February 21 to deliberate with his Indian counterpart on trade barriers and other trade related issues.

The two secretaries during the meeting scheduled for February 22-23 in New Delhi would discuss the reports of study groups constituted recently to consider measures for enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries.

According to the official, the two countries would also consider various measures for increasing bilateral trade under the South Asian Preferential Trade Arrangement (Sapta). They would also discuss the progress so far made under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (Safta) so that the agreement could be made effective within due date.