Afghanistan calls for boosting bilateral trade to $5b

Envoy asks Pakistani traders to make investment in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industries Muzammil Shinwari has said that Pakistani traders should make investments in Afghanistan and the two countries must strive to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion as they enjoy good trade relations.

Speaking at the fourth “Made in Pakistan” exhibition, which began in Kabul on Friday, Shinwari stressed that such fairs were in the interest of both Afghanistan and Pakistan.



The two-day exhibition, organised by the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), attracted a large number of traders, businessmen and businesswomen, says a press release.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Syed Abrar Hussain said organisation of such exhibitions would lead to a new chapter of economic cooperation between the two countries.

“There are two primary reasons to have better economic relations with Afghanistan. One is Afghanistan’s strategic importance and the other is Pakistan’s cultural and geographical proximity to it. We have mutuality of interests and shared objectives,” he said.

The envoy pointed out that due to geographical proximity Pakistan provided Afghanistan a route to foreign markets and it was the most important trading partnership. “We are committed to fully facilitating the Afghan transit trade,” he said.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry Co-chairman Khan Jan Alkozai asked the two governments to keep politics away from trade as economic growth would help to eliminate extremism and terrorism in both countries.



Earlier in his remarks, RCCI President Mian Humayun Parvez expressed confidence that with further cooperation in trade and business, ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan would be further cemented.

He suggested that better road and railway links, frequent exchange of trade delegations, hassle-free customs clearance and easing tax and customs duties could further boost trade.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2016.

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