PESHAWAR: Trading community of both Pakistan and Afghanistan has called for a flaws free new Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement to promote trade relations and take maximum benefits of it.
Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA)-2010 had expired last month. However, both countries have temporarily extended the transit trade agreement for a period of three months.
Review over APTTA-2010 was a long standing demand of the Pakistani business community to meet trade requirements of the modern era. However, to some-extent they are satisfied over granting of three months extension to continue trading activities.
Talking to this scribe, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, a local businessman said that APTTA-2010 was signed in pressure and due to certain hardships 70% of Afghan transit trade shifted to Iranian seaports. He particularly called for restoration of loose cargo for the transportation of transit trade goods from Karachi to Torkham and Chaman borders and then onward shifting to Afghanistan. The step has increased transportation cost of Afghan traders as well as detention charges on containers by shipping companies.
He further called for taking all stakeholders on board to search out solution to all issues relating to transit trade. However, he termed the allowing of loose cargo as top most as it would benefit both Pakistan Railways and local transporters as well. Currently, Pakistan Railways is permitted to transport goods loaded only in containers. The allowing of loose cargo would end the monopoly of bonded carriers and would benefit both Pakistan Railways and private trucks. The step can enable Pakistan Railways to earn income to amounting to Rs.7 billion to 8 billion per annum and transit trade shifting to Iran would also revert back to Karachi sea port.
Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi also called for the restoration of part-shifting as the lack of facility is inflicting financial losses on business community and they have to pay detention charges. Similarly, he also called for the simplification of the trade documents.
Ahmad Shah, an Afghan importer and official of Jalalabad Chamber of Commerce termed the signing of new trade agreement a good opportunity for both countries to simplify trade procedure and take maximum benefit of bilateral trade. He said that work on new agreement is in process and would complete soon. He proposed for segregation of trade from politics to restrict the new agreement to matters relating to only trade. He welcomed the opening of Ghulam Khan trade route and added that it would help increase bilateral trade between both countries.
The Afghan trader said that Afghanistan has no objection over allowing Pakistani trucks to travel to Central Asian States, but in response Afghan trucks may also be given access to Karachi and Wagha and relaxation of the conditionality of departure through same route from where it had entered. He also called for leasing 50 to 100 acres of land in Karachi to Afghanistan to construct building and secured Afghanistan bound goods.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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