The industrialist, counted as the most influential voice of the business community in Pakistan, had called for resumption of trade with India
Pakistan’s top industrialist Mian Muhammad Mansha believes it is time his country and India resume trade, and improve relations for their betterment.
Mansha, who heads the Nishat conglomerate, Pakistan’s No 1 business group, told The Indian Express from Dubai where he is staying at the moment, that there are “many synergies” between the two countries that can come into play once trade begins.
“I feel very passionately that we need to get our things sorted out with India. Now whatever the issues that are impeding, let them be there. But once they come to one another’s country, through trade, tourism – religious tourism or normal tourism — I think the doors will start opening,” 75-year-old Mansha said.
He said the Kashmir issue has to be resolved with “small steps” to “bring temperature down”. He also spoke on opening up Bollywood to Pakistani actors and India’s IPL to Pakistani cricketers.
Earlier this year, the industrialist, counted as the most influential voice of the business community in Pakistan, had called for resumption of trade with India at a meeting of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Reiterating the statements he made at that meeting, Mansha, whose businesses range from textile to cement to automobiles, said if India could continue to import from China despite its border issues, there is no reason for Pakistan not to resume trade with India.
“I think there’s nothing better than having good relations with your neighbours. And you can’t change neighbours,” he said, pointing to the advantages that importing from India would give to Pakistan.
“I am a businessman. That’s why I say that if something is cheaper in India, why should I buy that from another country? The transportation cost is less (from India),” he said. “There are so many products that we could buy. We (the Nishat Group) make Hyundai cars. Hyundai India is very big. We could buy some parts cheaper from India, than buying from China, for example. And you are also trading with China in such a large way. Your imports from China are huge, and if you look at it, you also have issues with China on the issue of territories and all that.”
