PESHAWAR: A representative of Pak-Afghan business community has asked the governments of both the countries to remove hurdles in the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) in order to strengthen economy in the region.
Senior vice-president of Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industries and a leading businessman Zia ul Haq Sarhadi reiterated his demand while addressing a meeting of Pak-Afghan Liaison Committee on Transit Trade here the other day.
The governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan must take concrete steps for the promotion of trade between the two countries and remove bottlenecks in this regard if they want to strengthen their economies through bilateral trade, Sarhadi observed.
Pak-Afghan Liaison Committee Chairman Fayyaz Anwar, Afghan Consulate second Secretary Mohammad Naeem Sarwaray, Transit Trade Additional Director Amjadur Rehman, Customs (Torkham) Additional Collector and executive officer of the Trade Development Authority were also present on the occasion.
Zia ul Haq Sarhadi urged the leadership of both the neighbouring states to set aside their political differences and ensure facilitation of the business communities on both sides of the border. He, However, lamented that lack of interest on part of the governments and some political disputes were affecting both the ATT and bilateral trade.
He called for convening a meeting to review the new Afghan transit trade agreement as soon as possible adding business could be attracted to Pakistani ports by facilitating the business communities of both the countries.
The meeting reviewed the reservations of the businessmen of both Pakistan and Afghanistan on the new transit trade agreement and demanded of their governments to take immediate steps for redressing the same.
It decided that all stakeholders, including Pak-Afghan Liaison Committee, PAJCCI and Peshawar-based Afghan Consulate, would send their recommendations for removing reservations of the business community about the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement to the concerned agencies of their respective governments.
For this purpose, they will also make contacts with the commerce ministry and other relevant organizations of both the countries to work out amicable solutions to issues creating hurdles in the smooth business ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
