QUETTA: Special Assis­tant to the Prime Minister on Establishment Moham­mad Shehzad Arbab said on Thursday that steps were being taking to increase trade with Afghanistan and improve facilities at the Pak-Afghan border.

He stated this during a visit of a parliamentary delegation to the border town Chaman. The members of the delegation include Spe­cial Representative of the Prime Minister on Afghan­istan Affairs M. Sad­iq, Senator Shandana Gulzar and MNA Salahuddin Ayubi.

Additional Chief Secre­tary Home Hafiz Abdul Basit, Chief Collector Cus­toms, Balochistan, Gul Reh­­man, Collectors Prev­en­­tive Irfan Javed and Waheed Mar­wat, FC Comm­andant Colonel Rashid and other senior off­icers of the ministries of com­me­rce, interior, Railways, Nadra, FC and NLC also accompanied the delegation.

The delegation visited FC Fort, Chaman Border Crossing Point and the Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

During a meeting, the delegation members were bri­ef­ed on various initiatives. These initiatives included: keeping the border open seven days a week, restoring railway connectivity, reducing the number of security check-posts, facilitating the local population and promoting bilateral trade.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Arbab said that bilateral trade ties and better people-to-people contacts between the two countries were very important for both the countries. Therefore, he said, Pakistan would take all necessary steps to remove hurdles in the smooth flow of trade between the two countries.

The delegation members said that the Pakistan’s new visa policy for Afghanistan had facilitated Afghan citizens, businessmen, students and patients and it would help improve long-term relations between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2021