KARACHI: France will try to convince the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to approve the European Union’s trade package for Pakistan, said the advisor on textile on Saturday.
“France has assured that would try its best to influence the WTO to approve the European Union (EU) trade package for us,” said Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, advisor on textile to prime minister.
Pakistani exporters may get to enjoy the benefits of duty free exports to EU within next two months, Baig said.
Baig was talking to the media after inaugurating the ‘Eighth International Textile & Garment Machinery Show 2011’ at Karachi Expo Centre. The three-day show would end on Monday.
Tariq Iqbal Puri, chief executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan; Fisun Aktug, Commercial AttachÈ of Turkey; and Irshad Kassim, Consul of Tajikistan also cut the ribbon to make the exhibition commenced.
India, Bangladesh and Vietnam have moved the WTO against the EU initiative of giving Pakistan duty free access to European market. The 27-nations bloc approved trade facility to Pakistan to mitigate its losses from the devastating 2010 floods.
Baig said that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani would lead a delegation of businessmen to France early next month to further strengthen ties and to enhance the volume of trade between the two countries.
He said that textile exports would be around $11 billion out of total $22 billion expected exports for the year 2010/11.
“The textile exporters have the potential to push up exports by 50 percent instead of 25 percent in the current fiscal, if the law & order situation is not there and the authorities manage to provide power and gas to the industrial sectors.”
