Pakistan eyeing to increase annual exports to India to $1 billion within a year, as made-up textiles products and readymade garments have great potential to make their way to Indian markets, said Federal Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastagir Khan at a meeting of the Pak-India Business Council her of Tuesday.

The delegation was headed by Yawar Ali Shah who briefed the minister on their recent visit to India and outcome of the meetings held with the country’s business and trade stakeholders.

The federal minister said that in terms of importing raw material for their agriculture and textile products, Pakistan is the most favourite and cost effective market for India especially due to land route.

He was of the view that trade concessions to India cannot be offered unilaterally. India also needs to extend access to Pakistani products with preferential duty regime.

He also informed the delegation that the ministry had restructured the National Tariff Commission (NTC) in line with the legal framework guided by the Supreme Court.

The business interlocutors were of the view that trade with both countries should cooperate in promoting small and medium enterprises, agriculture, research sectors and exchange of business groups visits.