By IANS,
Islamabad : The main concern of Pakistani businessmen of adequate opportunities to work in India must be addressed, a leading daily said Thursday, noted that the usual rancour that characterises sub-continental ties was lacking.
“In an atmosphere lacking the usual rancour that characterises their relationship, India and Pakistan announced they would resume `normal’ trade ties in February 2012,” an editorial in Dawn said.
It said that in Pakistan, stakeholders have reacted with caution, “but their views this time have more to do with a desire to have equal or sufficient business opportunities in India than with opposing Indian trade with Pakistan”.
The editorial said: “It appears the businessmen here are broadly in agreement with Islamabad’s policy of strengthening ties with India. So much so that they see a possible agreement for the provision of 500MW of electricity to Lahore from Amritsar as a better option than hoping for power supply from independent power producers in Pakistan.
“…the Pakistani businessmen`s main concern of having opportunities to work in India must be addressed. Businessmen here want India to set a date for the liberalisation of the visa regime. This is an issue that New Delhi must tackle with urgency.”
It noted that this was an area that can contribute to “reducing the trust deficit and also boost the present government`s effort to portray enhanced trade ties with India as beneficial for Pakistan”.
The editorial went on to say that India is what the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government has been concentrating on as the pressure on it to perform has increased.
“The end of the February deadline for the normalisation of ties with India is not a bad plank at all in terms of Pakistan’s domestic politics.
“…The planned patch-up with India by the end of February is a handy `coincidence’ that may be used to ensure crucial international support for the continuation of the current dispensation and some of its regionally and globally vital policies.”