LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Friday called for establishment of a fully equipped Business Centre at Wagah and other land borders to cope with trade with India that is going to register a quantum jump after December 31st.

In a statement issued here, the LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar said that a policy declaration for establishment of Business Centre at Wagah at the first stage and at other land borders later on is direly needed to facilitate manufacturers, traders, importers and exporters.

Pointing finger at the absence of a collaborative management system, the LCCI President said that handling border trade in the current situation is a challenge for Pakistan. He said that it is need of the hour that the government should clarify the role of various border agencies. “We have yet not estimated future trade by value and volume and its possible structure by value per unit.”

The LCCI President said that keeping the possibility of another similar border opening in the future, it is important to define the freight business model for the border. “Dry ports in Pakistan play very important role in trade facilitation and it is imperative to involve all dry ports to be the greater part of the border trade and develop more Customs Freight Stations (CFS) in the country. It will provide investment opportunities for private sector and reduce the burden on public sector organizations.”

Farooq Iftikhar said that Pakistan is playing a role of a bridge between two great economic regions e.g. SAARC and ECO therefore a well thought-out policy is direly needed to establish a conducive environment for manufacturers, traders, importers and exporters.