Islamabad: Ahead of Commerce Minister Kamal Nath's visit to Islamabad to attend a SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) ministerial meet, Pakistan has said it was considering to import more items from India, including high-speed diesel and machinery, but insisted that granting of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India is linked with "sustainable political dialogue" to resolve all issues.

"We are considering to add 300 items in the imports list, including high-speed diesel, raw material and machinery," Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar told 'The Nation' daily.

He said the proposal would be finalised after approval of the Cabinet's Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

After the addition of 300 items in the import list, Pakistan's import from India would increase by 42 per cent to 1,000 items.

On the issue of granting the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, Akhtar said, "Pakistan was ready to consider giving MFN status to India if a sustainable political dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries keeps up."

Akhtar's remarks came ahead of Nath's visit to Islamabad to attend the three-day SAARC Economic Ministers' meeting beginning in Islamabad tomorrow (Nov 22, 2004).

However, official sources said Pakistan has told India that under present circumstances when the Indian industry enjoys higher support from its Government compared to Pakistan, it would be difficult for Pakistan to give them MFN status, as it would affect its industry, the paper reported.