KARACHI, Oct 20: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan on Thursday said that the matter relating to GSP plus had already been taken up with the European Union (EU) on the grounds of severe earthquake that caused much more devastation than tsunami and hurricane Katrina.
Addressing the members of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) during his fund-raising visit here, the minister said that he was in Geneva when the earthquake hit major parts of Azad Kashmir and NWFP and he immediately took up the matter with the EU officials and sought their cooperation to give due consideration as was done in the case of tsunami.
He further said that Pakistan was seeking duty-free access under GSP plus for its exports to EU member states as had been allowed to Sri Lanka on the basis of tsunami crisis and devastation.
“I have been asked by the president and the prime minister to convey to you that now we need more cash donations than kind and goods to meet challenges of rehabilitation and reconstruction,” the minister informed the businessmen.
Humayun said that almost entire infrastructure in the northern areas had been devastated by the quake as bridges, road, building, schools and hospitals did not exist any more.
He said Karachi as a biggest financial and commerce hub of the country had done a lot for the provision of relief goods, but there was much more to be done towards rehabilitation and reconstruction of the devastated areas.
However, he stressed that more funds were needed and President Musharraf had sent me with a message to ask you to contribute generously towards the “President’s Relief Fund.”
The minister said that during last couple of years the business had made handsome profits and it should share some of it with the quake victims for their rehabilitation and reconstruction of the infrastructure.
He said that each one of us should continue to contribute towards the relief fund and should not stop at this stage because more difficult time was still ahead.
He suggested that each trade body should take the responsibility of rehabilitating and reconstructing of a village or town as only such contribution could be helpful in meeting the gigantic task faced by the country.
Referring to a point raised by KATI chairman Gulzar Firoz, the minister said that since Early Harvest Programme (EHP) had been announced with China matters related to duties would ultimately be covered as this was a first step towards Free Trade Agreement with China.
He assured to take up the matter relating to development of Road-8000 in Korangi with the Sindh governor and chief minister, and said that already development work on a massive scale was going on in the city.
The minister said that the GSP, which is going to be effective from January 1, 2006, would have 100pc coverage to Pakistani exports to the EU member states and it would have 3.5 percentage point reduction in duties.
He assured the leather industry that they would get six per cent research and development subsidy provided they keep their promise to increase the exports to $1 billion.
S M Muneer, pattern-in-chief of the KATI, assured the minister that the business community would fully cooperate in meeting the challenges and would extend all sort of help to the government by generously contributing towards President’s Relief Fund.
He suggested that the business community should be given representation in the committees being formed for tackling with different issues related to quake victims so that a close contact could be kept between the two sides.
Mian Zahid said that the association had contributed Rs20 million in cash and also provided relief goods which were personally handled by Masood Naqi during their distribution in the affected areas.