30 September 2004	Thursday	14 Shaban 1425

ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: The Federal Cabinet decided on Wednesday to resolve, at earliest, the issue of 0.5 per cent infrastructure cess levied by the Sindh government on goods imported under Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) , which they believed was against the spirit of the agreement.

Informed sources told Dawn that the issue was raised in the cabinet meeting presided over by prime minister, Shaukat Aziz for seeking a viable solution, which was expected to be reached within next two days.

Meanwhile, a 10-member Afghan trade delegation led by deputy minister of commerce, Ghulam Nabi Farahi and deputy minister of finance and customs, Ghulam Jailani Popal discussed trade and transit issues with Pakistan's minister of state for commerce, Hamid Yar Hiraj, and other senior officials here on Wednesday.

According to the sources, the delegation handed over a list of around 10 trade barriers faced by the Afghan traders in Pakistan with a mild threat that in case these were not removed or resolved in short time they would use Bandar Abbas port.

According to the lists, the Afghan delegation asked for seeking to demurrage caused by physical inspection of the ATT goods by the customs authorities at sea ports. They also asked for allowing transportation of containers on trucks on the plea that transportation with passenger train was more expensive.

They demanded of the Pakistani authorities to make available sufficient number of wagons for Afghan transit goods, to supply proper wagons (not damaged ones) for transportation of Afghan transit trade goods. According to the sources, the trade delegation would formally take up these issues with secretary railway on Thursday for seeking its possible solution.