MoC, CBR jointly to work out new ATTA

The government has directed the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) and the Ministry of Commerce to jointly work on the new Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA) encompassing an effective transit regime for the benefit of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The draft of the new agreement would be given to Afghanistan government for its review, which would be instrumental in afresh starting the negotiation process of ATTA between the two countries.
The CBR and the concerned ministry would chalk out the new agreement and submit it to their respective counterparts in the Afghan government for endorsement.
Sources told Business Recorder on Monday that the decision had been taken in the last meeting of Trade Facilitation Committee constituted under the National Trade Corridor Improvement Program. The second meeting of the TFC, chaired by CBR Chairman Abdullah Yusuf, took several decisions for improving the transit trade with Afghanistan.
It was decided that Commerce Ministry would draft a new ATTA with the assistance of CBR. In this regard, officials would consult other transit trade agreements in vogue in the region before finalising the new draft of the ATTA.
Sources said that the re-negotiation of ATTA was on the agenda of the Pak-Afghan Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) held on June 14-15 at Islamabad, but was not discussed by the commission.
The CBR was of the view that the ATTA needs to be re-negotiated with Afghanistan for making transit trade beneficial.
Sources said that the government has also decided to take measures for proper marketing of the Pakistan transit trade routes to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics.
The government has also approved measures to facilitate the Afghan traders. Ministry of Railways would give maximum facilitation for the transportation of transit goods to Afghanistan via Pakistan.
Sources said that the National Logistic Cell has informed the Trade Facilitation Committee of the National Trade Corridor Improvement Program that the Jamrud Transit Station is almost ready, which would become operational by July 15, 2006. The scanners are also being installed at the Jamrud Transit Station. However, Pakistan Railways has reservations on the connecting railway line from Peshawar to Jamrud and its crossing through the part of the Peshawar airport. For this purpose, the NLC has discussed the issue with the Airforce authorities. The same can be sorted out by fixing timing of crossing of trains through the airfields.