PESHAWAR: Traders from Pakistan and Afghanistan have welcomed the three-month extension in Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) and urged Islamabad and Kabul to finalise a new trade agreement in consultation with the business community on both sides of the border to strengthen trade activities.

The bilateral trade agreement is meant to facilitate the movement of goods between the two neighbouring countries. The accord had expired in February this year.

According to a statement issued here on Friday, a joint meeting of the traders from both sides was held in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, which discussed various issues for removal of hurdles to the bilateral trade.

Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s former senior vice-president Shahid Hussain and Pak-Afghan Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Afghanistan chairman Haji Khanjan Alkozai led their respective sides.

A leading Afghan industrialist Engineer Kamal Safi, Abdul Jabbar Safi, Ahmad Zai Azami and Pak-Afghan exporters and importers were present in the meeting.

They called for increase in the number of scanners at Torkham border and other trade routes besides simplifying the rules and regulations for carrying out smooth bilateral and transit trade between the two countries.

The traders said the extension in the accord would bring economic prosperity to the whole region.

The participants stressed the need for measures at governmental level to address the issues amicably. The traders said the movement of vehicles via Ghulam Khan border was next to nil due to some hindrances. They said long queues of vehicles at Torkham had been causing delay in clearance of consignments.

The traders also called for allowing maximum movement of Afghan transit trade vehicles through Ghulam Khan border to boost the trade. They hailed the government of Pakistan for reducing duties on over 51 export items to Afghanistan. They asked the Afghan government to reduce duties and taxes on 16 Afghan items on a reciprocal basis.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2021