APTTA and PTA: Parleys with Afghanistan bilateral, not trilateral: Dawood

ISLAMABAD: Prime Mini-ster’s Advisor on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood Wednesday said that parleys between Pakistan and Afghanistan were held on bilateral trade and not on trilateral basis.

Dawood, who is also part of the Prime Minister entourage for Afghanistan headed an inter-ministerial delegation to Afghanistan for two days (Nov 16-17) for talks on Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) and possibilities of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two countries.

In a tweet, he said that he held extensive round of discussions with the concerned officials and a one-on-one meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, adding that many understandings were reached on several issues relating to trade and transportation. Talking to Business Recorder, he said that he held very successful discussions with the Afghan side on trade, port issues and trucking, and was hopeful that all matters will be resolved amicably.

In reply to a question, he stated that the subject of allowing Indian goods land route facility to Afghanistan was not over highlighted during the discussion.

"Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan were focused on bilateral trade not trilateral," he added.

Dawood, in his tweet further stated "hopefully, APTTA and PTA will be finalized by the end of January 2021. Will hold extensive meetings with all stakeholders in the coming days. Tremendous opportunities exist and I hope that our businessmen will realize them.”

The APTTA signed on October 28, 2010 will expire on February 11, 2021.

APTTA has replaced the old Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement 1965. Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) is obligatory transport of cargo from/to Pakistan Afghanistan under Article V of GATT1947, Convention on Transit Trade of land locked States 1965, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982.

The agreement was concluded keeping in view the best international practices and advances made in the fields of information technology, logistics and customs procedures.

Afghanistan wants (i) improvement in services including additions of good transports companies, under customs supervision apart from bonded carriers be considered; and (ii) apart from bonded carriers and the railways, the private trucks should be allowed under customs supervision to minimize the freight of ATT. It further proposes that shipping lines and port terminals must be bound to rationalise their charges and free days for detention should be increased to 40 days and demurrage to 15 days.

Pakistani has conveyed that its trucks must be allowed to move up-to Tajikistan , Uzbekistan , Turkmenistan border, as Afghan Trucks and vehicles should be allowed to move up-to Wagah Border and Karachi sea port.

Pakistan has also asked Afghanistan side to do away with the practice of providing only 5 days for transit shipment to CARs to cross its territory, after which 5000 AFG fine is charged per container per day. Pakistan further demanded that time limit for its trucks and cargo crossing Afghanistan and unloading on the border of Tajikistan should be increased from 5 days to 15 days.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020