Pakistan has reduced scanning of Afghan transit cargo from 100 to 20 per cent and allowed Afghan trucks to carry goods up to Wagha and their return. Commerce Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir who has returned from a two-day Afghanistan visit reportedly informed the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that Pakistan has allowed system based partial shipment of Afghan transit goods instead of manual processing and Afghan trucks can carry Pakistani goods for exports to Afghanistan.
Pakistan Railways would carry 400 containers of Afghan transit cargo to Torkham and Chaman per week which shall be made operational later this year. Commerce Minister also apprised the Afghan President that Afghanistan should remove financial guarantees on Pakistani goods in transit to Central Asia which are being charged at 110 percent of the customs duty. Removal of tonnage fee at rate of $100 per 25 ton on goods which are in transit to Central Asia also came under discussion.
Expediting signing of bilateral treaty to avoid double taxation that would facilitate investment in both countries, issuance of Afghan multiple entry visas for Pakistan businessmen and skilled workers and lifting of ban on transit of LPG via Afghanistan to Pakistan also came under discussion. Both sides deliberated on Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which will provide enhanced market access to Afghan goods in Pakistani market and on addressing the issue of smuggling.
Commerce Minister stated that Government of Pakistan has made serious and concerted efforts to address concerns of the business community of Afghanistan on Afghan transit trade.
The Afghan President promised multiple entry visas for businessmen on reciprocal basis and ensured that he would address other issues at the earliest.
The Minister reiterated that economic co-operation between Pakistan and Afghanistan has gained momentum during the recent months with enhanced dialogue, high level visits and confidence building measures taken by the respective Governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Minister for Commerce led a three person trade mission comprising of Secretary and the deputy secretary of the Ministry of Commerce. During his visit, he held detailed meetings with Dr Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of Afghanistan, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, National Economic Adviser, Eklil Ahmad Hakimi, Minister of Finance and Acting Commerce Minister. Muzammil Shinwari.
According to sources, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made some progress on agreed points with Afghanistan. However, implementation on those points will take time.
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