ISLAMABAD: The negotiation teams of Pakistan and Afghanistan have held exhaustive discussions for two days on a new Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), which is expiring on February 11, 2021.
Talking to Business Recorder, Prime Minister Advisor on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, who co-chaired inaugural session with Afghan Commerce Minister, said that the following five issues are on the agenda: (i) APTTA, (ii) PTA, (iii) free movement of trucks, (iv) agreement on unification of Customs procedures and processes and, (v) improvement in the banking system.
"The two teams are discussing the five agenda items on a parallel basis," he added.
In reply to a question, Abdul Razak Dawood said that the first two days of parleys focussed on APTTA and hopefully, PTA will come under discussion on Wednesday (today).
"If negotiations on APTTA are completed today, then we will move to other agenda items including PTA," he continued.
He further stated that the time to reach an agreement on APTTA ends February 11, 2021.
In the next phase of negotiations Pakistani team will visit Afghanistan in January.
"It can be done but it depends on the speed of Afghan delegation," Dawood maintained.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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