LAHORE: The government is reviewing the Pak, Afgha Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) and is considering opening three border crossings to facilitate traders.
Federal Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan said this while addressing a round-table on “Pakistan-Afghanistan Cooperation on Trade” organized the other day.
“We are reviewing the APTTA and opening of three border crossings for trade,” Khurram said.
The minister said the two sides had decided to organize a pilot run of Afghan trucks from Torkham and Chaman up to Wagah carrying Afghan exports to India and Pakistani trucks from Torkham and Chaman carrying Pakistani exports to Tajikistan’s border.
He said that Afghan trucks would be allowed to carry Pakistani exports to Afghanistan on their return journey. Similarly, Pakistani trucks will be allowed to carry Tajik and Central Asian export cargo on their return journey to Pakistan, he adedd.
“We are also taking bold steps to reduce scanning at border ports at the request of the Afghan government,” Khurram said. Last year, the scanning of trade material was reduced from 100 per cent to 20 per cent to help facilitate matters and put trade on a fast track, he said.
The major breakthrough is that Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan had signed an agreement for energy transit route for KASA 1000 project, he said.
The minister said that under the agreement, 1300 megawatts of electricity would be transmitted from Kyrgyzstan into Pakistan through Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Another breakthrough had been made with regard to Turkmenistan, fghanistan, Pakistan, India (TAPI) and the project was likely to be completed in 2019, the miniser said.
