Pakistan has called for a 20 per cent reduction in India?s list of sensitive items under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA). The list of items provided by Pakistan includes zinc oxide and zinc peroxide; reactive dyes and preparations based thereon; synthetic organic pigments and preparations based thereon; inorganic colouring matter and preparations based thereon; polyethylene waste and scrap; plastic waste and scrap and synthetic organic colouring matter.

The Commerce Ministry has proposed to delete 263 items from the present 744 items in the sensitive list of India of SAFTA.

Out of the 263 items proposed to be deleted, deletion of 203 items is based on the recommendations of various ministries and departments while deletion of 60 items is based on the rationale that tariff concessions granted by India under SAFTA on these items are 50 per cent or above.

The Commerce Ministry has sought comments and views from the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) among other departments and ministries in this regard.