Minister calls for boost in trade with Afghanistan

Federal Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak on Monday underscored the importance of enhancing trade activities with Afghanistan saying it will bring economic prosperity for both the countries.

Chairing the seventh meeting of Executive Committee of Pakistan Afghanistan Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Parliament House, Khattak observed that facilitating the Afghan traders would increase trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He maintained that implementing the recommendations of Pak-Afghan Trade and Investment Forum 2020, which was organised on the special initiative of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, would facilitate traders on both sides of the border.

“Promoting health tourism will bring substantial revenue for the exchequer especially facilitating the hurdle-free entry for Afghan patients.”

A representative of the interior ministry informed the committee that introduction of new visa category regarding health tourism was on card and would be soon implemented.

The defence minister stressed the need to regularise livestock export and bring it under enforcement by relevant government agencies.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahzad Arbab called for resolving the trade disputes between both the countries while a representative from the commerce ministry informed the panel that a mechanism for the purpose was functional.

Deliberating upon the recommendation of Pak-Afghan Trade and Investment Forum 2020 regarding the increase of PIA flights between both the countries, the committee observed that airfare for Afghan nationals was relatively high.

Special envoy for Afghanistan Sadiq Khan called for standardising the fares as per the international standards.

Discussing the proposal to make Pakistan Railways Transit Trade friendly, representative of the Pakistan Railways told the panel that work on eight projects continued and 28 trains had run for Pak-Afghan Transit trade until now.

The official observed that ML-1 would run from Torkham to Peshawar under the CPEC initiative.

The representative from the ports and shipping ministry informed the panel that dedicated lane cannot be spared for Afghan Transit Trade, however, cross-stuffing of Afghan transit goods would soon be allowed.