Ministry to discuss Pak-Afghan trade deal

Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood on Friday said that following Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Kabul, the Ministry of Commerce would begin engagement with all stakeholders on the items to be placed in the proposed Pakistan Afghanistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).

"We are looking at engineering, pharmaceuticals, cement, building material, fruits and vegetables for enhancing trade liberalisation between the two countries," said the adviser on his official Twitter account.

"I request all the stakeholders to be prepared for discussions through video link." He declared that the PTA between Pakistan and Afghanistan would be finalised by the end of January 2021.

The adviser also voiced hope that the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), which would also be signed in the last week of January 2021, and investmentrelated matters would be resolved in the bilateral dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Kabul. Dawood announced that the government would hold extensive meetings with all stakeholders in the coming days.