The trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan will increase to at least one billion dollars in 2004 against $620 million of 2003, due to confidence building measures and enhanced economic co-operation between the two countries.
This was stated by Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Riaz Ahmed Tata in a statement.
He said that the measures announced by Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz to remove irritants hampering the flow of goods between the two countries and the Afghan Transit Trade, specially the decision to remove any discriminatory provision against ATT cargo, would boost mutual trade.
He said that the concessions given to ATT cargo such as extended storage at Karachi Port and permission to Port Qasim to handle the cargo would prove very helpful to ATT cargo.
Tata said Pakistan cannot only play a key role in the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan but can also become a link for co-operation between ECO and Saarc nations.
The FPCCI chief also congratulated Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz for forging strong friendly relations with Afghanistan.
He appreciated the decisions announced by the Prime Minister after his recent one-day visit to Kabul which, he said, would promote economic co-operation and co-ordination between the two brotherly countries.
He also welcomed the decisions taken at the recent meeting of Pak-Afghan Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) which was attended by a delegation from Pakistan led by Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz.
Riaz Tata said that Pakistan has already been awarded work for rehabilitation of Torkham-Jalalabad road, which is likely to commence in July this year. He also welcomed the news that the feasibility of laying Chaman-Kandahar railway link would be ready by May 2004.
The FPCCI chief also appreciated the implementation of the decisions taken at the previous Pak-Afghan JMC, such as the operation of three flights per week between Islamabad and Kabul and the opening of branch in Kabul by National Bank of Pakistan.
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