‘Trade with India beneficial for Pakistan’

[LahoreEstate]

* Finance adviser says all indicators show economy is improving
ISLAMABAD: Finance Adviser Shaukat Tareen on Sunday stressed the need for improving trade with India for economic benefit of the country, saying the Indian consumer market had massive potential that Pakistan must capitalise on.
“We have to stand on our feet, if we are good in what we are doing we have ready-made market in neighbouring countries,” he said.
Tareen said Pakistan should focus on enhancing economic activities with its neighbours, as the current trade volume was not satisfactory.
The finance adviser said Pakistan’s trade volume was only $10 billion with its neighbouring countries out of the total volume of $60 billion.

He also highlighted the importance of chalking out a China-specific trade strategy and setting up a China-specific economic zone inside the country for promoting trade and investments between the two countries. Tareen said economic indicators were hinting at an improved economy.

He said the country’s economy had been put on the right track in the last six months, with inflation going down, the current account deficit reducing, banks having fewer liquidity problems and the floor on the stock market trading been lifted.

Tareen said inflation had decreased by 4.5 percent in the last two months only and resultantly, interest rates would come down as well.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg7_6