Partner: CRRID
Duration: August to October 2014
Locale: Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faislabad, Gujaranwala,, Sialkot, Qasur & Rawalakot
Team Members: Dr. Shehryar Khan, Muhammad Sohaib, Muhammad Hamza Abbas
Introduction:
To understand Non-Tariff Baarriers (NTBs) between India and Pakistan, a trade perception survey conducted. For this survey interviews were conducted with exporters, importers, producers, freight forwarders, transporters, clearing house agents, government departments and academicians in Pakistan. The total sample of survey is 100, with stakeholders who are engaged in bilateral trade. The study also see the trade potentials for opening 182 items of India and 224 items of Pakistan concerning textile and textile products from sensitive lists, and also 78 textile items from negative list of Pakistan. The WTO regulations regarding NTBs imposed in both the countries for these products will be mentioned in this study for policy suggestions.
Objective:
The aim of the survey is to understand NTBs between India and Pakistan, and gathering information on potential trade for ‘textile and textile products’ and ‘agricultural and horticulture items.
Activities:
- Survey and meetings held in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Muzafarabad/Rawalakot, and Sukkur/Karachi.
Findings:
Lack of land trade routes, drug-trafficking, lack of banking facilities, informal trade via third world countries, dissimilar customs procedures, visa restrictions, dismal labeling and packaging requirements, under/over invoicing of goods, lack of testing facilities, excessive checking of consignments, mishandling of goods, and infrastructure constraints at customs were the major NTBs between India and Pakistan.