Indo-Pak Commerce Secretary-level begin in New Delhi

Two days Indo-Pak Commerce Secretary-level talks began in New Delhi on Monday.The issue of Pakistan granting the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India is likely to be the main agenda of the parleys between the two Ministers.The talks also seek to normalise bilateral trade relations, especially because they are being held immediately after the successful talks between the Prime Ministers of the two countries in Maldives on the sidelines of the recent SAARC Summit.Accompanied by a team of officials, Pakistan's Commerce Secretary Zafar Mahmood would be holding discussions with his Indian counterpart Rahul Khullar for the next two days. The two Ministers would bid to resolve some of the contentious trade issues, including Pakistan granting MFN status to India and Pakistan seeking liberalisation of visa regime for its businessmen.Islamabad, which will have to treat India as any other economic partners after grant of MFN status, has been complaining about the non-trade barriers for its shipments to the Indian market.On his arrival in New Delhi yesterday, the Pakistani Minister said that his country stood committed to normalising its trade relations with India and that granting MFN status to India was part of the exercise.Currently, India-Pakistan trade stands at USD 2.65 billion, but in the recent past the two neighbouring countries have intensified efforts to improve bilateral trade and political relations.