ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) Chairman Brig. Muhammad Aslam Khan (Retd) on Thursday lauded the efforts of the government to improve regional cooperation terming it key to the prosperity.
Pakistan’s most important relations should be with its neighbouring countries like Afghanistan, India, Iran, and China instead of the western countries, he said.=
Pakistan is giving too much importance to some western countries which they do not deserve as we are not as much dependent on them as believed, he added.
Brig. Muhammad Aslam Khan (Retd) said that intra-regional trade is extremely important for boosting economic growth and prosperity in the region will remain a far cry unless Pakistan and India become closer.
A World Bank report estimates that trade between Pakistan and India is a mere $2 billion whereas, without trade barriers, this could reach $37 billion as both the countries continue to maintain long, sensitive lists of items on which no tariff concessions are granted he said.
