LAHORE: The SAARCC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an apex body in the region Wednesday demanded immediate revisit of grant of SAARC Visa Exemption Stickers Scheme (SVES) to businessmen for promotion of intra-trade among member countries, to offset abject poverty, accelerate the pace of progress, development, prosperity and welfare of the people of the region.
These views were expressed by SAARC Chamber Vice-President Iftikhar Ali Malik in his special interaction with a 15-member delegation of economic journalists visiting from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan at a local hotel here on Wednesday. Liberal SAARC visa policy for businessmen, a substantial reduction in sensitive list, removal of para-tariff and non-tariff measures and exhibition of greater political for swift execution of trade facilitation mechanism to ensure accelerated growth in intra-SAARC trade, he suggested.
He said that governments of South Asian countries need to adapt to the changes taking place around the globe. He identified the political mindset as one of the biggest barriers in promoting economic freedom in South Asia. He provided statistical comparison establishing that the sluggish growth of intra-regional trade was because of stringent policies.
He said that the private sector was willing to improve the low level of intra-SAARC Trade provided the governments in South Asia act as true facilitators and withdraw over-regulations to ensure the free flow of goods and services and enhance the mobility of the business people. He outlined the several activities undertaken by SAARC CCI and sought more interactive session between SAARC CCI and the Public Sector representatives under SAARC.
Iftikhar Ali Malik stressed that politicians of either country must work together with dedication to implement liberal policies in the region. He said regional connectivity was essential for remodelling of policies in line with the current global economic address. The efforts for promoting economic freedom in South Asian countries are scarce. The results are a visible interim of the higher poverty rate, poor human development index, more dependence on foreign aid, and added that SAARC needs inward-looking policies to promote intra-regional trends, which were more than 60 per cent in the region and pre disintegration of subcontinental.
Tracing the history said that under the previous visa policy, one decade ago “SAARC member countries businessmen were entitled to SAARC Sticker for five year which later was curtailed to three year and gradually reduced to two year, one year and ultimately confines to three months now with extremely cumbersome visa issuance procedure which was regarded as detrimental to business promotion in South Asia. He said its a natural reality and no one can ever deny that “we are neighbours of one another and must realise it seriously that we cannot live alone and share our expertise in various sectors for regional economic integration instead of adopting hostile attitude”.
He also suggested that member countries should work to change the region on the pattern of European Union (EU) bloc which will definitely pave the way towards prosperity for the people.
Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President and Zonal Chairman Manzoor ul Haq Malik invited the all visiting foreign economic journalists for another week-long visit to Punjab for having long duration interaction with officer bearers of chambers of chambers across the province.
SAARC chamber Founder General Secretary Rehmat Ullah Javed urged them to wield the pen for creating goodwill gestures among the governments and people of member countries with a sole objective of economic prosperity in the region.
Fur Die Freiheit India Regional Director Ronald, SCCI Secretary General Hina Saeed, Deputy Secretary-General Zulfiqar Ali Butt, SAARC Chamber life member Lala Pervaiz from Pakistan and senior faculty member Institute of Communication Studies Punjab University Dr Waqar Ch were also present.
