Forum 2020 aimed to explore new avenues for prosperity of people in the region: Asad Qaiser

ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser Monday said that the Forum 2020, on Pak Afghan regional trade was aimed for confidence building measures, identify and remove hurdles and to explore new avenues for the prosperity of the people in the region.

He said that the Forum which was attended by more than 400 traders, parliamentarians and representatives of chambers of commerce and industries, would make recommendations for taking up by the respective governments.

In an exclusive talk with PTV News, the Speaker said that the government of Pakistan wanted to extend the scope of trade with Afghanistan beyond the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) and provide maximum facilities including opening of new border points to expedite the trade activities between the two countries.

In this regard, he added, the present government has softened its immigration policy due to which the number of ATT containers struck at Karachi port was reduced from 11000 to 1000 besides curtailing its transportation period from 45 days to three days.

Asad Qaiser said that the Indian conspiracy to create mistrust between Pakistan and Afghanistan would not succeed as the people of both the neighboring Muslim countries have common religion, culture and history.

He said that a peaceful Afghanistan was always in the interest of Pakistan for which, all Afghan groups have responsibility to integrate their efforts for the prosperity of their country and the region.

Both the countries have wide scope of enhanced trade relations because Pakistan can export its better services and products to Afghanistan linking Pakistan with Central Asian States.