ISLAMABAD: After a delay of more than four years, Pakistan and Afghanistan on Tuesday held a meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) to deal with problems hindering the smooth implementation of a revised transit treaty.

The last meeting of the APTTCA was held in 2016.

Since then, no meeting was held between the two countries and subsequently talks on bilateral trade were also suspended until recently when officials from Afghanistan visited Pakistan and showed their willingness to revive stalled talks.

During the official talks, extensive and fruitful deliberations were held on the whole spectrum of bilateral trade and investment relations including formalising of informal cross-border trade.

According to the official announcement, the adviser met a number of dignitaries representing a cross-section of Afghan government. The adviser called on Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to trade and economic integration.

He also met Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) Abdullah Abdullah and thanked him for his support. He also called on Da Afghan Wolesi Jirga speaker and the Da Afghanistan Bank governor.

Mr Razak hoped that the visit would mark the beginning of a new era of trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. This would lead to the integration of the two economies and move the bilateral trade to a more formal and documented arrangement, he said.

“This deepening of trade and investment relations between the two countries would also enhance Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan and beyond, to the central Asian countries,” the adviser remarked.

Currently, Adviser Dawood was leading an official delegation to Afghanistan for discussions on bilateral trade, Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement, Preferential Trade Agreement and investment-related matters between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2020