PESHAWAR: The Afghan government has announced multiple entry visa of one year for businessmen of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to improve trade and commercial relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Syed Mohammad Ibrahimkhel told the office-bearers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Monday that the decision to issue multiple entry visa to traders was taken following a letter was sent to Afghan authorities by the chamber.

He urged the government to remove illegal checkposts on Peshawar-Torkham Highway to improve trade between the two countries. Those checkposts were main hurdle to improvement in trade activities, he added.

The envoy said that Afghan government would facilitate traders to improve export and import of various items.

Envoy seeks removal of illegal checkposts on Peshawar-Torkham Highway

Afghan Trade Commissioner Mir Wais Yousufzai, KPCCI vice president Shuja Mohammad, executive committee members Mohammad Iqbal, Abdul Jalil Jan, Rashid Iqbal Siddiqui, Haji Mohammad Afzal, Malik Iftikhar Ahmed Awan, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Mazharul Haq and Faiz Rasool were also present on the occasion.

KPCCI president Zulfiqar Ali Khan appreciated the Afghan government for accepting request of the chamber regarding issuance of multiple entry visa to traders and expressed the hope that it would help to increase trade volume between the two neighbouring countries.

He said that both the countries should pay full attention to improvement of bilateral trade and facilitation of exporters and importers. He also talked about problems being faced by businessmen and presented proposals for resolution of those issues.

The KPCCI chief urged the Afghan government to facilitate Pakistani traders in their access to Central Asian states to boost regional economy and overcome the menace of terrorism.

Meanwhile, known industrialist Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour in a statement on Monday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was unable to improve business activities in the province.

Referring to a statement of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak about establishment of new industrial estates in Jalozai, Dera Ismail Khan and Hattar, Mr Bilour said it was tantamount to dodge the industrialists.

He said that chief minister did not know that federal government had already banned new gas connections to industrial units and in such a situation commitment of setting up new industrial estates was meant to deceive people.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2015