The Pak-Afghan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) is holding its meeting in Kabul on Sunday to finalise measures for brining bilateral trade to $1 billion in 2004-05 before Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali's visit to Afghanistan scheduled for Monday.
Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz would lead the 11-member delegation to finalise Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) and remaining $78 million grant out of $100 million announced by Pakistan in 2002 for Afghanistan.
Currently, out of a total trade volume of around $620 million between the two countries, Pakistan is sending $580 million worth of goods and $40 million is coming from Afghanistan.
The volume of ATT is $297 million, which registered a growth of 30 percent. To enhance it, the remaining 12 items on the negative list would be removed after negotiations with Kabul.
After Torkham and Chaman, Pakistan is setting up new custom post at Ghulam Khan near Deer district and more are in the offing to enhance formal trade between the two countries.
There are many informal routes on the Pak-Afghan border, which are not reflected in the official figures. The World Bank has estimated that trade between the two countries is nearly $ 1 billion.
In earlier given aid, the tender for Jalalabad-Torkham and Chaman-Kandahar roads has been floated. Construction of Jinnah Kidney Centre, agreement on exchange of cultural delegation and opening up of schools is also in the pipeline of the Premier's visit. Pakistan is also planning to initiate three weekly flights to Afghanistan by PIA.
The commodity aid is going on, while discussion on health and education-sector assistance would be taken up during the meeting.
The delegation includes officials from communications, railways, Planning Commission, Central Board of Revenue (CBR) and other ministers. State Bank Governor Dr Ishrat Hussain and Economic Affairs Secretary Dr Waqar Masood are also accompanying the minister.