SATURDAY FEBRUARY 21: Pak-Afghan JEC decisions: implementation status discussed

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar Friday chaired an inter-ministerial meeting on the implementation status of the decisions of the Pak-Afghanistan JEC meeting held on November 13, 2014. The minister was informed that among the most significant projects, there was speedy headway being made with regard to CASA-1000. Issues such as energy pricing, payment guarantees, etc, were finalised in working group meetings held in November-December 2014.
The Ministry of Communication gave its input about Torkham-Jalalabad Additional Carriageway saying the ECNEC had approved its revised cost and it was processing request for release of funds. Representative of the Ministry of Railways briefed Dar about the Chaman-Spinboldak Rail Link project. The minister was informed that project activities would be initiated in tandem with the construction of Qandahar-Spinboldak section by Afghanistan.
Representative of the Ministry of Port and Shipping informed the minister that the Afghan side had requested trade facilitation and sought storage space at ports in Pakistan. He said there was ample storage space available at Port Qasim and if more storage space was required, Port Qasim Authority would extend that on monthly rental basis.
The minister was apprised facilities had been made available at ports for Afghan cargo and that requirement of scanning of Afghan transit cargo would be also being reduced. Dar appreciated scholarship scheme for Afghan students undertaken by the HEC. He was briefed that the HEC had arranged admission of 609 Afghan students including 524 in public sector universities and 85 in private universities. Approximately 400 students had joined already, the minister was further informed.
Dar, while appreciating the progress so far achieved by various ministries said that fast track implementation on the decisions taken at the Pak-Afghan JEC was common desire of leadership of both the countries. He asked all the concerned ministries and departments to maintain active liaison among them and with their Afghan counterparts to ensure the decisions were implemented in letter and spirit.-PR