Pakistan, Afghanistan agree on action plan for joint chamber

Representatives from both country’s chambers of commerce and industry meet.

KARACHI: Pakistan and Afghan chambers of commerce and industry have agreed on an action plan for a joint chamber.

Representatives from Pakistani and Afghan chambers of commerce and industry met in Karachi on Friday to discuss their initiative to form a Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The participants included representatives from Karachi, Chaman, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kabul, Khost and Nangahar. In February, the chambers had signed a memorandum of understanding as a move towards establishing a joint chamber of commerce.

The meeting was facilitated by the Centre for International Private Enterprise and supported by the British High Commission. Representatives of the ministry of commerce also took part.

Addressing the meeting, British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi Robert Gibson said, “trade is vital to the future development and security of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. That’s why I’m delighted to support this initiative. A Pakistan-Afghanistan joint chamber will allow the private sector in both countries to establish relationships which will, in turn, bring stability and prosperity for the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Azarakhsh Hafezi, speaking on behalf of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), said, “the ACCI is already part of joint chambers with 13 other countries. Pakistan is Afghanistan’s most important trading partner so the Pakistan-Afghanistan joint chamber is absolutely necessary. We wholeheartedly support this initiative.”

Zubair Motiwala from the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, “the agenda for the first meeting will include discussion on facilitation of Afghan imports through Karachi, investment opportunities in Sindh and exploration of the potential for hydroelectricity in Afghanistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2010.