Pakistan and Afghanistan are expected to sign the Washington-supported transit trade agreement on Sunday (today) and Afghan Finance Minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal has joined his negotiating team headed by Commerce Minister Anwar ul Haq Ahadi, in Islamabad informed sources told Business Recorder.
The new agreement will replace the transit agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan signed in 1965. "There is no possibility of a ''no'' by either of the two sides due to pressure from the United States," sources said. Another participant added that "talks are now out of our hands and talks are proceeding at a secret location in the capital city and all outstanding issues are no longer expected to be resolved on technical grounds but on the basis of the US interests."
Earlier, one of the participants told Business Recorder that there was a deadlock over all major issues including visa, permit, transportation of goods, smuggling and transit facility to Indian goods but a deal became clearly imminent after crunch.
Pakistan''s industry sources have indicated their apprehensions that Pakistani negotiators may compromise the interests of domestic industry on the new deal on Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA). There are indications that with the participation of the Afghan Finance Minister in the talks, Pakistan will show flexibility in trade between Kabul and New Delhi through Wahgah boarder.
"I am expecting that APTTA will be signed on Sunday (today) before the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has played a key role in initiation of talks on the new pact," sources said. The US had given to Pakistan November 30, 2009 deadline to ink the agreement but the government slowed the process on grounds that it could not finalise the agreement before consultation with the private sector. The 7th round of Pak-Afghan Joint Working Group (JWG) on APTTA started in Islamabad on Friday. US secretary of State Hillary Clinton who reaching Islamabad on Sunday will hopefully witness the signing ceremony of APTTA.
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