Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to inaugurate round-the-clock operation of Torkham border crossing with Afghanistan on September 14. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is expected to join Prime Minister Khan on the occasion to jointly open the new facility to promote bilateral trade and address all lacunas in cross border trade.
The sources further said that Afghan President had been extended an invitation and if Ghani's visit takes place, the recent setback to the peace talks between the US and the Taliban will also come under discussion.
In principle, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to boost two-way trade and a high-level meeting is expected to take place in Kabul in coming few days, sources told Business Recorder.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textiles and Industries Abdul Razak Dawood who was earlier scheduled to visit Kabul from September 4-5, 2019 for holding talks with senior Afghan authorities could not take place due to the recent surge in violence which also led to 'cancellation' of talks between the US and the Taliban.
"Both sides are in touch to reschedule the visit of the adviser to Kabul very soon to discuss the prospects of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and renegotiate Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA)", a diplomatic source told this correspondent.
Afghan side is also seeking Afghan transit trade with India through land route, the sources said, adding that the issue was also raised by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during his visit to the country in July 2019.
However, the request was politely declined and the Afghan President was conveyed that Pakistan would continue to facilitate its goods reach Wagha border but due to security reasons Afghan transit trade with India through land route is not possible.
"We have conveyed that trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan is a bilateral issue, and requested Afghanistan not to raise Afghan transit trade with India through land route", the source further stated, adding that Pakistan has worked on APTTA with Afghanistan in the light of agreements signed by other landlocked countries like Nepal.
The sources said that Afghanistan has also agreed to renegotiate APPTA, which lapsed a few years ago and further discussions on the matter will be held in Kabul during the expected visit of the adviser on commerce.
Through a series of tweets on September 8, US President Donald Trump announced that he canceled talks between the US and the Taliban and called off a scheduled 'secret' meeting with Taliban leaders at Camp David after the Taliban admitted they were behind a recent attack that killed a US soldier.
Responding to President Trump's announcement, Taliban released a statement, saying "Americans will suffer more than anyone else. It will damage its reputation, unmask its anti-peace policy to the world even more, increase its loss of life and treasure and present its political interactions as erratic".
Soon after President Trump's announcement, Pakistan called on both the sides to reengage.
"Pakistan reiterates its principled policy stance that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and urges that both sides must re-engage to find negotiated peace from the ongoing political settlement process", Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said, adding that Pakistan looks for optimized engagement following earliest resumption of talks.
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