LAHORE: SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry while hailing Pak-Afghan transit trade accord extension for another six months said it was essential to facilitate uninterrupted flow of transit trade between the two brotherly neighbouring Muslim countries.
Talking to a delegation of importers and exporters led by Muslim Khan Banowari from KPK SAARC Chamber chief Iftikhar Ali Malik that the decision to extend the agreement was mainly aimed at preventing any disruption in trade and transit affairs between the both countries whereas it would help buy time to further discuss and finalise the proposed amendments in the agreement.
He said Pakistan’s clear vision for trade and economic relations with Afghanistan and central Asian republics (CAR) was to make Pakistan a hub for trade, transit and shipment. He further explained that Pakistan trade was based on the secure, open, consistent, reliable and finally legal movement of goods at Afghan boarders along with enhanced connectivity with Afghanistan and CARs he added.
Iftikhar Ali Malik said it’s good omen that both sides expressed satisfaction with the another extension of the agreement and decided that technical teams of either country would conclude the accord soon. He said that over the last extension a total of 832819 containers of Afghan transit trade carrying goods valued $33billion had passed through Pakistan which totalled 30 percent of Afghan transit trade remaining crossed through Iran, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Concluding he said Pakistan always attached great importance to Afghanistan and played key role for durable peace in the region. He said SAARC chamber had established a special cell to facilitate the Afghan traders, importers, exporters and private sector to boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
