APTMA Punjab, chairman has urged the Indian Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Textile Industry and Cotton Export Corporation India to make certain strict vigilance on Indian side of Wagha border to strengthen trade Confidence-Building Measures (CBM) in the interest of trade relations of Pakistan and India, as it is found an abnormal weight variation of cotton bales being imported from India through Wagha border.

According to the Chairman APTMA Punjab S M Tanveer, Pakistani importers of Indian cotton have lodged complaints with the Association about the unfair trade practices on the Indian side of Wagha border as the cotton importers are disturbed over this matter.

He said that one of the Pakistani cotton importers have pointed out that there is an abnormal weight loss of about 20KG per bale imported from India. In normal trade practice, a weight variation of one to five KG per bale is acceptable due to the drying up of moisture contents.

Further, he said, the Indian shippers have also admitted in their emails the phenomenon of abnormal weight variation, pointing fingers towards elements curbing cotton bales at the Wagha border of India.

The Indian authorities need to immediately looking into the unfair trade practices going on the side of India border as Pakistan imports a substantial amount of cotton bales from India through Wagha border every year as this may hit hard to the trade normalization efforts of two respective governments