By Gyanendra Kumar Keshri, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday said an “enabling environment” was prevailing to boost trade and people-to-people contacts between India and Pakistan.
During a meeting with an Indian business delegation here, Gilani said: “there is an enabling environment prevailing between the two countries to promote trade, people-to-people contact and also exchange of high level visits of parliamentarians to espouse the cause of meaningful and productive contacts.”
A high-level Indian business delegation, led by managing director of Bharti Enterprises Rajan Bharti Mittal, met the Pakistani prime minister and urged for removal of trade barriers.
The Indian delegation called for setting up a business forum of Pakistan and India to facilitate business and economic activities between the two countries.
In a major step forward to enhance economic engagements, a 120-member high-level Indian business delegation, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, visited Pakistan.
Prominent members of the delegation included Naresh Goyal, chairman, Jet Airways, Harsh Pati Singhania, managing director, JK Paper, Sunil Kant Munjal, chairman, Hero Corporate Services and B. Muthuraman, president Confederaton of Indian Industry.
The members of Indian delegation expressed their deep sense of gratitude over the hospitality of the business community in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. They maintained that there was an environment and momentum to enhance trade between the two countries and leave a worthwhile legacy for coming generations, according to an official statement issued by the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
(Gyanendra Kumar Keshri can be reached at [email protected]