ISLAMABAD, June 14: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan on Wednesday suggested initiation of talks on preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Afghanistan, which would lead to free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

This he suggested in a meeting with Afghan Minister for Finance Dr Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady, who called on him here on Wednesday after conclusion of a two-day Pak-Afghan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting.

Mr Khan called for initiation of a study to analyse the market conditions and trade regimes in the two countries to suggest the possibility of a PTA/FTA between the two countries. The Afghan minister agreed to the proposal of conducting the study.

An official announcement said that both the ministers agreed that the two countries had got mutual trade and economic interests. There was common understanding on the part of both the ministers for facilitation of trade and commerce between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Both the sides agreed to work for enhancing bilateral trade for the benefit of the people of the two countries.