Pakistan begins work to negotiate PTA with Kabul

Pakistan has started consultation with all stakeholders for negotiating a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Afghanistan and work in this regard is going on.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood held a consultative meeting at the Ministry of Commerce on matters related to Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics (CARs).

Dawood briefed the meeting on his deliberations with the leadership of Afghanistan during his visit to the country last month, which preceded the visit of prime minister to Kabul.

The adviser was informed that a lot of work had been done following those visits. Consultation has kicked off with all stakeholders to negotiate a PTA with Afghanistan and work is continuing in this regard.

He was also informed that work on revision of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) was in final stages.

A delegation of Afghanistan will visit Pakistan from December 28 to 30 to hold talks on the PTA, APTTA and establishment of joint border markets.

Also as a follow-up to the visit of Uzbekistan Deputy Prime Minister Sardor U Umurzakov for investment and trade in September 2020, Dawood held a video conference with Umurzakov in the past week to discuss the progress made since his visit to Pakistan and ways and means of further increasing Pakistan’s trade with Uzbekistan and CARs.

The adviser reiterated that Pakistan had always believed in free flow of goods between Pakistan, Afghanistan and CARs.

Umurzakov appreciated the sentiment and resolve expressed by Pakistan for improvement in trade relations. He invited the adviser and his team to visit Uzbekistan in January 2021.