PESHAWAR: Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir on Tuesday said his government had planned to legislate to create the Land Port Authority, which would help bolster trade, commerce and business activities in the country.

`The law will soon be introduced to regulate and improve facilities at land ports in the country to give boost to trade and investment sectors. The Land Port Authority will not only help improve working of land ports but will also facilitate traders, exporters, investors and business community,` he said during a meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) here.PESHAWAR: Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir on Tuesday said his government had planned to legislate to create the Land Port Authority, which would help bolster trade, commerce and business activities in the country.

`The law will soon be introduced to regulate and improve facilities at land ports in the country to give boost to trade and investment sectors. The Land Port Authority will not only help improve working of land ports but will also facilitate traders, exporters, investors and business community,` he said during a meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) here.The federal minister said the Land Ports Authority would help regulate a framework and policy besides ensuring better facilities to exporters and traders community in the ports.

He said the federal government was striving to provide friendly atmosphere to business communities and had planned to establish modern land ports in the country.Mr Dastagir said faI cilities on Torkham, 1 Chaman and Wagah land ( ports would be improvedto promote trade and investment in the country.

`By 2015, a new corps of commercial and economic counsellors will be sent to Pakistani embassies and missions focusing on economic di-plomacy and safeguarding the country`s economic and business interests. It will be mandatory for commercial counsellors to know native language of the country of their posting, good communicative anddiplomatic skills, and outstanding record to protect interest of Pakistan,` he said.The minister said the government was focusing on economic revival, promotion of investment and creation of better employment opportunities for people for which role of traders, businessmen, chambers and other stakeholders would have to play a vital role.He said the government wanted to send a strong message abroad through strong economic policies that Pakistan was mov-ing forward on the road to progress and development.

`We have to make our decisions through national enthusiasm and with collective wisdom,` he said.

Mr Dastagir said the governmentwas focusing on regional trade and investment as people would directly benefited from it.

He said the government wanted to liberalise the economy by increasing foreign trade with regional countries, including Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia Republics.

The minister said the regional trade could boost if Pakistan, Iran and Turkey were limned by a robust railways network.

He said a meeting to review Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade Agreement would take place soon, where issues related to Afghan transit trade would come up for discussion.

Mr Dastagir said his ministry would take up complaints on growing extortion cases in Peshawar and problems about PeshawarTorkham checkposts with the relevant departments for corrective measures. He said the government had set up an exports development fund and suggested that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry prepare a plan for opening an office in Peshawar so that appropriate funds could be provided for the purpose.

The minister directed the director general of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Peshawar to visit the chamber`s offices time to time and inform him about the problems faced by traders there.

He said the federal government had good relations with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and all national issues were being addressed with consultation.

Earlier, KPCCI president Zahid Shinwari informed the minister about different problems faced by traders and businessmen in the province.

Later, the minister told re-porters that the government had deferred the decision to grant non-discriminatory market access (NDMA) status to India to avoid favour to a particular Indian political party ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

He, however, said the programme had not been shelved.

Mr Dastagir said the federal government would connect the country by promoting export and trade relations with the regional countries as in the 21st century, economies could not be confined and it would have to be opened.

`The economics of China, India and Malaysia grew up at a faster pace during last 20 years. We will develop trade corridors in the west with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics, and in the east with India, Iran and China,` he said.

The minister said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was committed to resolving the problems of energy crisis and extremism for revival of industrial units in the country.

APP