LAHORE: The Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s United Business Group (UBG) has established 5 high profile facilitation centres one each at Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta for Afghan importers and exporters for smooth flow of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Chairman UBG Iftikhar Ali Malik talking to Afghan traders delegation led by Muslim Khan here on Friday said that volume of bilateral trade traffic on both sides will increase massively in the coming days contrary to fears of reduction in Pak Afghan trade and transit trade due to the changing situation in Afghanistan. He said in a couple of days trade between either countries has almost doubled since the Taliban seized control.
He said that it’s good open that new Afghan government in one go reduced customs duties on 159 items in Afghanistan which included construction, steel, cement, glass, plastic, foams, petroleum products and foods. He said that the reduction in customs duty will also benefit traders adding that all theses announcements are specific to the law and order situation in Afghanistan.
Iftikhar Ali Malik said if situation improved in coming days, the confidence of local and foreign investors and traders including general Afghan people will be restored. He said business friendly conducive environments will create job opportunities besides help strengthening the fractured economy of decades long war torn state.
He lamented that earlier the number of imports in 24 hours did not consist of more than 60 to 70 vehicles as the former Afghan government did not want better trade relations between the two countries best reasons known to them; however 1223 cargo trucks were cleared in 24 hours of the Taliban taking over charge of what is the largest border crossing between two countries.
He said it’s another feather in the cap of new Taliban government is that it will continue trading with neighbouring countries and steps will be taken to promote trade. Muslim Khan said after Taliban government, no Afghan police and transport ministry officials demanded from driver 10000 to 25000 Afghanis to let their trucks return Pakistan. He hoped that Pakistan Customs pending unresolved issues with Afghan customs will also be worked out on priority mainly aimed at accelerating uninterrupted flow of trade between the two sides.
Iftikhar Ali Malik said that UBG attached great importance to Afghan traders and has established facilitation centre at the following cities in Pakistan to help assist, guide and address their genuine grievances on top priority at all levels across the country. They can be approached through their emails.
