Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Saturday welcomed the successful berthing of the second Afghan transit trade ship at Gwadar Port.
The vessel, carrying 20,000 metric tons of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, marks another milestone in enhancing regional trade connectivity. He noted that the fertiliser shipment originated from Townsville, Australia and represented the second successful docking under the revised Afghan transit trade framework, following the arrival of MV Beyond 2 on February 4, 2025.
"This is part of our sustained efforts to operationalise Gwadar Port as a strategic trade gateway for landlocked Afghanistan," the minister remarked. "Gwadar's growing role in transit trade reflects our commitment to enabling smooth access for Afghanistan to international markets."
He emphasised that the recent decision by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to replace the bank guarantee requirement with an insurance guarantee for Afghan transit trade through Gwadar had significantly improved ease of doing business and expedited cargo clearance processes. He added that the arrival of MV ASL Rose was a strong indicator of increasing international trust in Gwadar's operational readiness and infrastructure, highlighting Pakistan's role in promoting efficient and reliable transit trade in the region.
Junaid Anwar directed Gwadar Port authorities to ensure quick berthing and seamless cargo unloading and reiterated that the port was fully equipped to handle rising volumes of transit goods under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA).
He expressed confidence that the development would help lower transit costs, increase trade efficiency and reinforce economic ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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