Pak traders yet to get visa nod for trade expo at Amritsar
DELAYED PITEX will be opened by CM Capt Amarinder Singh today
AMRITSAR: Even as the four-day Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) is scheduled to begin on Thursday, the Union ministry of external affairs has not given political clearance for the arrival of Pakistani exhibitors and delegates, as they are yet to receive their visas to participate in the expo.
The state home department has not issued no objection certificate (NoC) to the participants from Pakistan for the expo, scheduled to be held from December 7 to 11.
DPS Kharbanda, director-cum-special secretary, department of industries and Commerce, Punjab, had written a letter to Nutan Kapoor Mahavar, joint secretary (coordination), the ministry of external affairs, seeking political clearance, which is mandatory to grant visas. The Hindustan Times has a copy of the letter. “The non-clearance is a cause of worry for the PITEX organisers, as the expo is organised to strengthen industrial ties among nations,” said
AFGHANISTAN, TURKEY, THAILAND, EGYPT AND CZECH REPUBLIC ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE EXPO IN AMRITSAR
Rupinder Singh Sachdeva, chairman of Punjab committee of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is organising the event.
Sachdeva said it was unfortunate that the union government is adopting an indifferent attitude towards the betterment of Punjab’s trade with other countries. “It (Centre) is not realising that Punjab has no other option than to strengthen trade ties with Pakistan. If the state government has given its approval, why is the Centre not doing so?” “Industrialists from Afghanistan, Turkey, Thailand, Egypt and Czech Republic are also participating in the expo,” said Ranjit Mehta, principal director of PHDCCI.