PESHAWAR (January 10 2004): Former president of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and Pak-India Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PICCI) Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour has welcomed the offer of granting the status of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) to India, saying that it was the long standing demand of the business community of the country.

Addressing a press conference here at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on the occasion of the joining of Hidayatullah advocate and Syed Ejaz Shah Bokhari to his Businessmen Forum, he appreciated Federal Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan in this connection and extended him full support.

Senator Bilour, who is the leader of the Businessmen Forum Peshawar, was flanked by President Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) Adeel Rauf, Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand, Haji Muhammad Afzal, Shaukat Ali Khan, Haji Waris Afridi, Aftab Iqbal, Zahidullah Khan Shinwari and a large number of other members of the business community.

He also welcomed the signing of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (Safta) among members of the Saarc and said that it would have far reaching economic and political effects in the region. He said that the agreement would be implemented from January one, 2006.

Dispelling the impression that the agreement would benefit India, Senator Bilour said that every country frame trade policy according to her own requirements.

He particularly mentioned the trade agreement between India and Nepal, which goes in favour of the later.

He said that the agreement would help provide us a market of more than one billion populations in the region. He was confident that the agreement would not cause any economic loss to our country.

Welcoming Hidayatullah advocate and his associates into the fold of Businessmen Forum, he vowed to serve business community more vigorously. He said that their services for the business community were not only known in Pakistan, but also all around the world.

Rejecting allegations levelled by his opponents, Bilour said that since the elections of SCCI, neither he has visited Sarhad Chamber nor attended any meeting.

He said that we always have confidence in our elected office bearers and they also devote their time and energies for the betterment of the business community.

"Neither I am involved in the affairs of the chamber nor have ever given any dictation to them," he reiterated.

Terming office bearers of his Businessmen Forum fully competent, he said that the performance of Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand and Colonel Khizer Hayat (Retd) as presidents of SCCI was known to all and expressed the hope that Adeel Rauf will show even better than his predecessors.

Replying a query regarding the ongoing crises in FPCCI, he said that the truth with triumph our group would come out successfully from the prevailing situation.

Talking on the occasion, Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand former president of SCCI said that natural and geographical location of Afghanistan favours trade with Pakistan, saying that Kabul, Ghazni, Paktika, Gardez, Khogiani and Kandhar are easily accessible from here.

He said that the transportation cost from Iran and India, two other competitors are too high.

He said that presently more than 30,000 Pakistanis are working in Afghanistan, saying that the recent Loya Jirga has recognised 68 percent population of Afghanistan as Pukhtoons, which will bring positive impact on Pak-Afghan relations in future.

He said that currently Pakistan's export to Afghanistan is 600 million dollars. However, it is only export in the informal sector and after inclusion of formal sectors it would cross over one billion dollars.

Adeel Rauf, president SCCI said that the graph of export with Afghanistan is on rise and in this connection, he particularly mentioned the government endeavour of carpeting Torkham-Jalalabad Road. He said that India is also making efforts, but geographical situation is favouring us.

Courtesy Business Recorder