Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Leader of the business community and former President ICCI Shahid Rasheed Butt on Sunday asked the government to consider lifting ban on import of edibles from India as suspension has provided an opportunity to the mafia to milk masses. He said that trade with India was a deterrent to the mafia as any hike in the price of edibles would have initiated imports but this option was closed a year ago resulting in a windfall for the profiteers.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said that government could consider allowing imports of poultry, milk, fruit, vegetables, and pulses without compromising on its principled stance. He said that many countries have differences and even enmity but they are not mixing economics with politics. Bilateral trade between the US and Russia is almost 29 billion dollars, China-US trade volume is around $700 billion while India and China are conducting two-way trade worth $86 billion.
The business leader said that China has never accepted Taiwan as a county, she considers it part of the China but the bilateral trade and investment surpass 250 billion dollars.
