Currently, Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf on an official visit to the USA and has on his agenda to discuss about the proposed Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) to be built on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
A zero rate duty for products including apparel, garments and textiles manufactured in the proposed QIZ from the USA is sought according to a senior Commerce Ministry official.
Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan accompanying President Musharraf would assist the President in the trade negotiations with US authorities.
It is learnt that former Commerce secretary Tasneem Noorani has established ground s for zero rate duty on products to be manufactured in the QIZs on lines of the Israel-Jordan industrial zones, which are established on the Israeli-Jordanian border. Jordan's exports to the US have gone up by almost 80 percent since the venture took off.
The proposed QIZ earnings will be shared between Pakistan and Afghanistan in 80:20 ratio.
QIZs have been earmarked to help generate economic activity on the Pak-Afghan border areas where poverty is rampant and may also work in dissuading youth from taking up terrorism, informed an unnamed government official.
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