A paramilitary soldier stands guard as a truck crosses into Pakistan from India, at the Wagah border. — File Photo by Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The ministry of commerce here on Wednesday has issued the Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) for switching over to negative list regime to trade with India.

According to the notification as many as 1209 items have been included in the negative list and would not be importable from India to Pakistan.

Talking to APP, an official in the ministry said, of total importable items from India under the SRO, 137 items would be importable from India to Pakistan through land route from Wahgah.

Major items included in the list of importable items are livestock, vegetables and newsprint in rolls or sheets.

For the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, the manufacturer could also import raw material (except basic manufactured locally) and packing material approved by the Director General Health Government of Pakistan.

Import of vaccines shall be allowed only from World Health Organization (WHO) approved plants.

Pakistan, currently, trades with India under positive list regime and imports items through other countries which increases the cost of the items in the local market.

He said that finalising the list will help to formally start trade between both the countries which will be beneficial for the people.

He further said that the trade with India in negative list regime was allowed only to protect our local industry and the negative list would be phased out in December 31,2012.

The government will ensure the removal of all non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and provision of free access of Pakistani products in the Indian markets before phasing out of negative list.