Facilitating trade: Afghan consul general meets businessmen from tribal areas

Discusses Pak-Afghan trade, particularly in Fata and K-P.

PESHAWAR: The Afghan consul general on Tuesday met senior officials of the Fata Secretariat and the leadership of the Tribal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI) to discuss problems confronting the business community from across the border.

Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Syed Mohammad Ibrahim Khel led the Afghan side, while the Fata Secretariat’s team comprised Secretary Production Farrukh Sair, Secretary Fata Investment Facilitation Authority (FIFA) Arshad Majid and TCCI President Zubair Ali.

The two sides agreed in principle to adopt effective measures to restore the confidence of the business community of both countries, and to take practical steps to improve Pak-Afghan trade, with the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) in particular.



Ibrahim said a new Afghanistan is being built, providing a golden opportunity for Pakistani businessmen to invest in.

“The Afghan markets have great potential for Pakistani traders who can capture them by introducing quality products,” Ibrahim said.

He claimed around 60-70,000 skilled and unskilled Pakistanis were currently working in Afghanistan, with some earning up to $25,000 a month.

The consul general disclosed that medicines worth $40 million were exported to Afghanistan every year, 95% of which are from Pakistan.

TCCI Vice-President Zubair Ali informed the consul general of the issues confronting the Pakistani business community, especially Fata traders. He said the major hurdle was the Afghan visa policy which needs to be relaxed.

Ali called for facilitating investors from this side of the border in procuring leases of coal mines, possibly as joint ventures with Afghan investors. He also pointed out the security issues faced by Pakistani traders in Afghanistan and suggested business cards be issued by Afghan authorities in order to facilitate traders.

FIFA Secretary Arshad Majid maintained a safe and secure environment attracts traders to invest money in a specific region and asked the consul general to use his office in this regard to restore the trust of Pakistani traders.

Ibrahim heard Majid’s concerns and said he would do all in his power to redress the issues faced by traders, and would talk to Afghan authorities as well.

Participants from both sided agreed to the proposal of holding regular meetings between Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries to mitigate problems of businessmen from both countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2013.