February 02, 2008	Saturday	Muharram 23, 1429

QUETTA, Feb 1: The Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and Afghanistan’s consul general in Quetta have called for incentives for the business community, which would further cement trade relations between the two countries.

A trade delegation led by chamber’s senior vice-president Isa Khan Kharoti met Afghan Consul General Muhammad Anwar Anwarzai on Friday and exchanged views on promotion of trade and cooperation between the chambers of both the countries.

A statement issued by the Balochistan Chamber said that the Afghan diplomat invited Pakistani traders to visit Kabul to share information about different sectors to expand business activities.

Mr Anwarzai demanded of the Pakistan government to grant permission to Afghan trailers to go to India via Wagah border.

Mr Kharoti assured the Afghan diplomat that the BCCI would raise the issue with officials in Islamabad. He said the Afghan government should allow Pakistani trucks to unload goods at Kandhar Customs instead of at the bordering town of Spin Boldak.

He also suggested that Afghanistan should reduce the road tax of Rs8,000 on Pakistani goods trucks whereas Pakistan does not charge this tax from Afghan trucks and there is no restriction on their movement to any city of the country.

Mr. Kharoti said that the cultivation of wheat and cotton by the Afghan farmers would not only make their country self-sufficient in both crops but would enable it to earn foreign exchange through exports.