Sindh

Exchange trips of Pak, Afghan MPs stressed

If there were no advancements on the political front, the people to people relations should continue

January 12, 2017

Pak-Afghan MPs seek cooperation between forces. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: The exchange of parliamentarians would be an excellent initiative to improve the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The speaker of Sindh Assembly, Agha Siraj Durrani said during a meeting with the members of Pakistan Afghan Joint Committee (PAJC) at Provincial Assembly, Sindh. “I would love to visit the Afghan parliament along with the other Pakistani MPs. I would also like to extend all possible cooperation for the betterment of ties between the two countries”, said the speaker.

The secretary sports said that if there were no advancements on the political front, the people to people relations should continue. He was willing to take all possible steps to increase the cooperation on sports and youth affairs and was also open to the idea of Pakistani sports delegation visiting Kabul for sports exchange on reciprocal basis.

The special secretary to chief minister Sindh vowed to take up the matter with the chief minister for further necessary actions including expression of interest based on the recommendations presented to him by the PAJC members. The Afghan members promised to take up the possibility of potential collaboration with Afghan government. They also suggested covering all these proposals through one broader MOU between Sindh and Afghan government.

The members of PAJC had other important meetings on Tuesday, at Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) with Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

As agreed between the two governments at the fifth APTTCA meeting, the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) may also be revised soon and both the governments may help in creating an enabling environment for traders from both sides. The Interaction between the chambers of both countries needs to be increased and Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) may hold the ECO Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ECO-CCI) meeting in Kabul this year, as already agreed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2017.