KARACHI: Afghanistan has finalized a pact with Iran and India for trade and transport, ignoring Pakistan. The negotiations on Afghanistan, India and Iran for trilateral trade, transport and transit trade agreement have been completed.
According to the sources in Directorate General of Afghan Transit Trade, Afghanistan is not giving a good response to Pakistan after getting more attention by India and Iranian port will be used for transit trade.
On the other hand, Pakistan and Afghanistan Joint Business Council has not held its meeting even after its establishment for the last five months to discuss the issues and to devise strategies for enhancing bilateral trade, source added.
Afghanistan wants India to be part of the Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement. Pakistan rejected Afghanistan’s request several times to include India in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan Transit Trade Agreement to establish Central Asia as free trade zone.
Two months ago, Pakistan showed soft corner and allowed Afghan trucks through Torkham and Chaman points to Wagah to transport Afghan exports to India.
Source said that, India has once again tried to foil Pakistan’s attempt to establish links with Central Asian free trade zone. New Dehli has also expressed a desire to build a railway line that will connect Herat to the Iranian port of Chabahar.
Whereas Afghan authorities have welcomed the Indian initiatives and have urged not to delay implementation on the project. Kabul is also looking for alternative transit routes for output of agricultural products to European markets.
