LAHORE, Aug 19: Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the government to finalize the sensitive list of items for South Asia Free Trade Agreement in consultation with the stakeholders.

An appeal to this effect was made during a discussion on the proposed sensitive list by Collector Customs Mhamboob Saqib Khan and Additional Collector (Dry Ports) Shujauddin and LCCI office-bearers here on Friday. Former FPCCI President Iftikhar Ali Malik, former LCCI Presidents Mian Asif and Sheikh Muhammad Asif and representatives of 50 trade associations also attended the meeting.

The LCCI leaders and members were of the view that consultation with stakeholders was necessary because omission of any item from the sensitive list requiring tariff protection could cause potentially adverse effect on the concerned industry in view of sharp increase in the volume of trade between the Safta countries.

LCCI President Mian Misbahur Rehman said that all the trade and industry associations should study the proposed sensitive list and give their proposals on it because exemption of any item being manufactured in the country from tariff protection was likely to harm the concerned industry.