Pak-Afghan authorities asked to review trade policies

Director, Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has asked Pakistan and Afghan authorities for review on bilateral trade policies including transit trade to promote bilateral trade between both countries. In a statement issued here Saturday, he said that India is exploiting the lack of clear wheat export policy by Pakistan. He said that though Pakistan has surplus wheat reserves of 9.7 million ton, but due to lack of clear export Pakistan, India has started shifting her wheat to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs) through Chahbahar port of Iran.
For this purpose the first consignment of 15000 tons wheat has arrived in Afghanistan and preparations for the dispatching of the second huge consignment of wheat was being prepared, Sarhadi said. He said that due to wrong policies of both countries, the new Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) is the victim of sabotage since last six years. He said that due to wrong policies 70% Afghan trade has been shifted to Bandar Abbas and Chahbahar ports of Iran while Pakistan's export to Afghanistan and CARs has also been badly affected.
Sarhadi, who is also a former senior vice president of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) said that though Pakistan has big surplus wheat in stocks while the new crop will also be harvested in four months, which means that next year Pakistan will have 5.5 to 6 million ton wheat in carry forward. But, despite having such huge surplus wheat Pakistan is losing decade's old markets of Afghanistan and CARs. He said that in past Pakistan had exported 1 to 1.5 million ton of wheat, flour and maida annually to Afghanistan. He said that under wheat export policy Pakistan has banned the export of wheat through land route.
He said that presently the price of wheat in international market is ranging from 120 dollars to 130 dollars per ton while the price of Pakistani wheat is 310 dollar/ton making its export to world market difficult.