Need 'conducive' political ties for trade: Pakistan envoy

Kolkata, March 18 (IANS) Political relations between India and Pakistan need to be conducive to promote bilateral trade, Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit said here on Wednesday.

"If you do not have a politically conducive environment, you will continue facing glitches and hitches in trade relations as well," Basit told media persons at an event organised by the MCC Chamber of Commerce.

He said the two countries need to engage in talks to resolve their disputes and promote trade.

"As far as trade is concerned, we are keen to augment bilateral trade and formal trade between the two countries. But obviously, at the moment when we are not talking to each other, talking only about trade would not take us anywhere," he said.

Terming the ongoing situation "historic", as both Indian and Pakistani leaderships were keen to move ahead with their relations, Basit said the two neighbours share "a very complex relationship".

"At the official level there are serious issues which do not allow interaction at the public level so easily," he said.

The envoy said both the countries need to create "inter-dependencies" so that they can mutually benefit from the potential in trade and commerce.

"We need to create inter-dependencies... for the two countries to move forward. Trade and economic relations, investments would create positive stakes. We talk about all negative issues unfortunately," he said.