QUETTA: The Senate Standing Committee on Industry and Commerce has called for taking all possible measures for promotion of industry and trade in Balochistan, saying the country cannot develop unless productive sectors including industry, commerce, agriculture, livestock and mining are not developed.

“The dream of economic development of the country and the province cannot come true until these impotent sectors are developed,” the committee chairman Zeeshan Khanzada said.

The standing committee, which held its meeting here on Monday, discussed various issues relating to the promotion of trade and industry in the province. The meeting called for utilising all available resources for opening new border crossing points with Afghanistan and Iran and solving problems being faced by the businessmen and industrialists and said proposals in this regard should be considered on priority basis.

The standing committee members who attended the meeting included Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Danesh Kumar, Fida Mohammad Khan and Kuhda Babar.

Delay in barter trade agreement with Iran has adversely affected trade, meeting informed

President of Balochistan Chamber of Commerce Fida Hussain Dashti, senior vice president Mohammad Ayub Merani, vice president Amjad Ali Siddiqui, Customs representative Mohammad Sadiq, State Bank of Pakistan official Amjad Ali Imran, FIA Director Tariq Khan Khilji and officials of the industry and commerce departments also attended the meeting and suggested various proposals for promotion of trade and industry in the province.

Mr Khanzada said that issues related to industry and trade of Balochistan and promotion of border and barter trade with the neighboring countries were among his top priorities. Issues related to Karez Qamaruddin would be discussed with the officials of Afghanistan.

He said that there was a set procedure for trade between the countries which they had to follow and the committee would talk with the ministry of commerce about the goods which remained stranded in Afghanistan at Badini border crossing. He said that suggestion about making Badini route for pedestrian crossing would also be considered

Mr Dashti said: “The borders with Afghanistan and Iran are stretched over thousands of kilometres where import and export activities take place,” he said.

“The delay in implementation of Barter Trade Agreement with Iran and other issues have adversely affected trade,” he said. “The obstacles should be removed so that the people of a backward and deprived province like Balochistan can become prosperous.”

He said that the province would come out of economic difficulties if an expo center was constructed there as announced, mining sector was given industrial status and trade with Afghanistan and Iran was facilitated.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2021