ISLAMABAD: The Nat­ional Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce was informed on Friday that a free trade agreement with Afghanistan is expected soon.

The meeting of the committee was held in Peshawar under the chairmanship of Siraj Mohammad Khan, MNA, which discussed commerce-related issues.

The commerce secretary apprised the committee that Pakistan has good relations with Afghanistan and the issues like shipment of Afghan goods have been resolved.

Pakistan has allowed Afghan trade trucks access up to the Wagha border, said a statement of National Assembly secretariat.

Moreover, he said that scanning of Afghan consignments by the Customs at Karachi has been reduced from 100 to 20pc only and a free trade agreement with Afghanistan is also expected in the near future.

At present, he said there was no facility for foreign exchange currency account in the National Bank at Torkham border which was creating hindrances in the transit trade with Afghanistan.

The secretary further inf­ormed the committee that a trade agreement between Pakistan-Afghanistan and Tajikistan was also at its final stage to be signed.

The presidents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) and the Women Chamber of Commerce also briefed the committee on the issues and problems faced by them.

The chief executive officer of Small and Medium Enter­prises Development Autho­rity also briefed the committee that two women development centres were opened in the province. However both of them had been closed due to the dispute with the KP government.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play