KP traders meet Afghan deputy minister: Call for making proper consultation to finalize new APTTA

PESHAWAR: A delegation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa businessmen, led by Shahid Hussain, former senior vice president of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), during visit to Afghanistan held a meeting with Sulaiman Bin Shah, the Deputy Minister at Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Government of Afghanistan.

The meeting called for proper consultation with the business communities of both countries as well as relevant stakeholders to finalize the new Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA).

Many recommendations were presented in the meeting for bringing ease in the trade and exports through Ghulam Khan, Kharlachi and other trade routes to the landlocked Afghanistan and onwards to Central Asian Republic countries, according to a press release issued here on Thursday.

Both sides have fully agreed upon the proposals to carry out smooth mutual and transit trade between the two neighbouring countries.

Participants of the meeting agreed that the new Afghanistan–Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) should be finalized with proper consultation with the business community on both sides of the border and other relevant stakeholders.

The meeting was informed that the Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentary Friendship Group (PAPFG), led by Speaker National Assembly, Asad Qaiser will soon visit to Kabul to meet Afghan leadership to discuss hurdles in way of bilateral trade, economic relations.

Earlier, the Deputy Minister Suleiman Bin Shah while speaking on the occasion said that his ministry with approval of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani sent proposals to Government of Pakistan relating to trade, Customs and Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement, and now the Afghan government is waiting for Pakistan response in this regard.

The deputy minister furthermore informed that the APTTA would be finalized during the upcoming meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani.

Meanwhile, Shahid Hussain, who is also Chairman of SCCI Standing Committees on Afghanistan and Central Asian Republic Countries (CARs) and Trade promotion and Pak-Afghan Transit traders and other members of KP delegation held meetings with Deputy Minister Local Government, Govt of Afghanistan, and Security Council Chief Dr Sifghatullah Ghaznavi, Governor Jalalabad and other high-officials of Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Government of Afghanistan, representatives of trade bodies, relevant departments and discussed various matters.

The meeting also presented a number of suggestions to streamline and smooth trade between the neighbouring countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021