LAHORE: Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan held a meeting with Afghan Finance Minister Umer Zakhilwal in Islamabad on Thursday and resolved to take measures to double two-sided trade within next two years.
Federal Textile Minister Abbas Khan Afridi, Afghan Deputy Commerce Minister Mozzamil Shinwari, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Janan Musazai and Secretary Ministry of Commerce Muhammad Arbab Shahzad were also present.
Dastgir informed the visiting Afghan minister that the Nawaz Sharif-led government holds Afghanistan as a pivotal key to its connectivity with the Central Asia and beyond, a statement issued by the Commerce Ministry said.
He said that to facilitate and enhance trade with Afghanistan, Pakistan has already initiated a project to upgrade the border posts of Torkham and Chaman and equip them with all the latest technologies of communication and facilitation.
The minister informed the Afghan finance minster about the three pillars of the economic policy of the Pakistani government which are trade, investment and connectivity.
The two sides agreed to hold talks to take measures for speedy and efficient transport of goods between and across the two countries, information sharing between the customs of the two countries, enhance trade fairs, curb illicit trade, seven-day operations at the border posts and easy access of the transportation trucks of one country to the far off areas of the other country.
They also agreed to make an efficient mechanism to check the progress of development on various issues by holding meetings regularly.
