PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkwha Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) Chairman Senator Muhsin Aziz has said that the transit trade with landlocked Afghanistan can be improved, if the impediments on both sides are reduced or removed substantially.
“The current trade volume between the two neighbouring countries is meagre, due to irrational tariff-regime, illegal trade, particularly absence of duty-free access to manufacturing products of the both Pakistan and Afghanistan in their respective markets. It is dire need of hour that all forms of impediments and hurdles should be checked, which hampering trade between the two neighbouring countries,” he said, while addressing a meeting regarding Pak-Afghan transit trade.
Those who attended the meeting include KP-BOIT Chief Executive Officer Rashid Ali Khan Bangash, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) former president Faud Ishaq, Ghulam Sarwar Mohmanad, Iskandar Khan from Prime Group Ltd, Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Director Ziaul Haq Sarhadi.
The participants discussed in details about the major impediments and obstacles, confronted in Pakistan and Afghanistan trade relationship and thoroughly deliberated with the issues, and recommended a number of measures for their solutions.
The participants said the excessive security check, untimely clearance of good consignments, registration of goods documents (GDs), through multi-system, introduced by relevant authorities, lack of required facilities, at clearing cargo consignments, limited bank network, without having online transaction facility, at border region, and others difficulties, as major obstacles negatively affecting trade between the two countries.
Senator Mohsin Aziz stressed the need for taking concerted efforts to enhance bilateral trade from the existing trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He further stated, “Peaceful, stable and prosperous neighbourhood, is essential for bringing durable calm, economic prosperity, development in the whole region.”
