ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have decided to strengthen institutional mechanism between the countries and the hold much awaited 7th Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority meeting.
This agreement was reached at a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday between ministers from Afghanistan, led by Deputy Minister for Commerce Ms. Kamila Sidiqi and Mohammed Younus Dagha, Pakistan’s Secretary Commerce, at the Ministry of Commerce.
It was resolved that all-out efforts would be made to remove impediments to bilateral and transit trade.
The two sides will increase interaction to resolve issues promptly.
The Afghan delegation thanked the Pakistan Government for their hospitality and accommodating concerns of Afghan traders and farmers.
Both sides expressed the desire to enhance trade relations between the two countries by overcoming existing challenges.
The discussion largely hinged on the SPS (plant import certificate)/quarantine certification and removal of regulatory duties on items such as fresh fruit and vegetables and dry fruit to facilitate Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan.
Deployment of Department of Plant Protection personnel on various border crossings was also discussed. The Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research told the Afghan side that the personnel have been deployed at Chaman and Torkham initially, with other border crossings to be facilitated in due course.
The Afghan delegation also included Hamdullah Hamdard, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mir Saeed Saeedy, Director General, International Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Khan Jan Alakozai, Head of Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Najibullah Wardak, Deputy Director, Income, Ministry of Finance, Ahmed Shakir Qarar, Deputy Director, First Political Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Edrees Raouf, Cotton Specialist, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock and Embassy officials.
Fazal Abbas Maken, Secretary, National Food Security and Research and officials of Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Federal Board of Revenue and Foreign Office were also present during the meeting.
