ISLAMABAD, Jan 10: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the commerce ministry to seek his prior permission for initiating any move for the preferential trade arrangement (PTA) with any country.

Well-placed sources told Dawn on Monday that the prime minister secretariat has sent a letter to the commerce ministry for updating the premier on the existing market access programme through PTAs.

The ministry has also been directed to carry out a detail market analysis before going for a PTA with any country in order to ensure maximum market for local products and provide due protection to the local industries.

Pakistan has so far signed only one PTA with China which was in operation since January 1, 2004. It was further extended by including more items for duty reduction during the current visit of the prime minister to China.

According to the sources, Pakistan was trying to conclude early PTAs with Bangladesh, Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, Kenya, D-8 countries, Singapore, etc. The sources said that no tangible progress had so far been made by the ministry in negotiations on PTAs with these countries except with Iran.

Similarly, Pakistan was also trying to conclude free-trade agreements (FTAs) with China, the United States, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Bangladesh. It was expected that the FTA with Sri Lanka would be operational following the Sri Lankan president's visit to Pakistan.