NEW DELHI (November 28 2009): Pakistani traders faced losses and harassment at the hands of Indian Customs authorities and intelligence agencies at the two-week India International Trade fair which concluded here in Pragati Maidan on Friday. Mazhar Mufti, representative of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, who was co-ordinating affairs of the trade fair while talking to APP said during the whole process, right from shipment of goods, clearance and display at the exhibition site.

Indian intelligence agencies and Customs authorities created hurdles for clearance of Pakistani goods. Enormous delay in clearance of containers caused losses to Pakistani traders in their business as Pakistani popular goods such as fabrics, handicrafts and marble products could not reach Indian customers in time and in a smooth way.

The Indian authorities made arrangements for clearance of goods at Pragati Maidan after shipment, but the authorities had no electronic devices to inspect marble products, therefore each piece was inspected manually causing maximum delay in their clearance for exhibition, he said and added they cleared one container only each day. Even limited passes were issued to Pakistani traders to enter into their pavilion, he said and added storage facility was not provided at the exhibition site which caused great inconvenience to the Pakistani exhibitors, Mufti lamented. He said Pakistani food, food products, handicrafts and marble products are very popular in India which attracted huge crowed every day but even the Indians were disappointed when they failed to get Pakistani goods.

The treatment meted out to Pakistani traders was unfortunate and they will leave Indian soil with great disappointment, Mazhar Mufti said. To a question, he said Pakistani food outlet did brisk business as the Indians stood in long queues waiting their turn to taste Takatak, Halim and Baryani.

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