ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) and visiting delegation of Afghan officials and business men will ponder over the removal of obstacles in the bilateral trade today (Friday).
In this regard, MoC is organizing a symposium-type ceremony here with Afghan President in the chair while Minister for Commerce and high powered Pakistani delegation will be there to deliberate over ways and means to remove the hurdles in the enhancement of bilateral trade,” a well placed source at MoC told this scribe here on Thursday.
The source said that both the sides would join heads to make the proposal of establishing Pak-Afghan Joint Transportation and Logistics Company (PAJTLC) to facilitate each other’s trade goods’ laden trucks and containers in the deep areas of both the countries. “The concerned ministers of both the countries have given approval to this proposal in principle, however, nitty-gritty regarding shaping the proposal a physical reality are remaining to be agreed,” the source added.
“Presently, trucks and containers loaded with trade goods are kept hours long at border in the name of customs clearance as well as transport authorities don’t permit them to go deep inside the country, which hampers transportation of trade goods at desired place” the source said adding that with the establishment of PAJTLC timely provision of trade goods would be ensured at desired place inside the both countries. The source said that PAJTLC would provide the services basing on a “single window” principle on the territory of Pakistan and Afghanistan and both the countries would benefit from the joint in the coming years.
It is pertinent to note here that in June 2013, President of JSC “NC “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy”, Askar Mamin announced to launch Joint Transportation and Logistics Company by January 1st 2015, saying the company was currently in the final stages of formation, the office is already set up and all organizational issues are resolved.
Similarly, last month, national railway companies of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus signed an agreement on a joint venture called United Transport and Logistics Company (UTLC) for the transport of containerized cargo within the Common Economic Space, including transit between Europe and Asia. UTLC is currently one of the few real business projects to facilitate integration within the Common Economic Space and consolidate rail sector infrastructure. The creation of UTLC will form the platform for the implementation of other large-scale economic projects within the Common Economic Space. Investments in UTLC will ensure transport needs are met within countries in the Customs Union and neighbouring countries at current levels.
The source said that normally operations of JTLCs were conducted under the set rules and regulations of the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) whichan intergovernmental organization with 54 member countries. It acts as a strategic think tank for transport policy and organizes an Annual Summit of ministers. ITF follows agenda of helping in shaping the transport policy agenda on a global level, and ensure that it contributes to economic growth, environmental protection, social inclusion and the preservation of human life and well-being
