ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood Monday reiterated that Pakistan has always believed in free flow of goods between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics (CARs).

Abdul Razak Dawood was holding a consultative meeting at the Ministry of Commerce on matters relating to Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics (CARs).

Dawood briefed the session on his meetings with the leadership of Afghanistan during his visit to the country last month which preceded the visit of the Prime Minister to Kabul.

The consultations have been started with all stakeholders to negotiate a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Afghanistan and work is continued in this regard, the Adviser said.

He was also informed that work on revision of the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) was in final stages.

The Adviser was further informed that a delegation from Afghanistan will visit Pakistan from 28 to 30 December 2020 to hold talks on the PTA, APTTA and establishment Joint Border Markets (JBMs).

Razak Dawood was informed that for these visits, a lot of work has been done.

Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Dr. Sardor U. Umurzakov appreciated the sentiments and resolve expressed by Pakistan for improvement of trade relations, the meeting informed the Adviser while giving his invitation to him and his team to visit Uzbekistan in January 2021 to have the inaugural meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) on Trade and Economy in Tashkent which will examine the prospects of PTA between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

Also as a follow-up to the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Dr. Sardor U. Umurzakov, for Investment in International Trade in September 2020, Mr Razak Dawood also held a video-conference with Dr. Umurzakov in the past week and discussed the progress made since his visit to Pakistan and ways and means to further increase Pakistan’s trade with Uzbekistan and CARs.