ISLAMABAD: The government is introducing a new visa category regarding health tourism for Afghanistan with a view to facilitate the hurdle-free entry for Afghan patients.

This was stated by a senior representative of the Ministry of Interior during a meeting of the Executive Committee of Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentary Friendship Group which was chaired by Federal Minister for Defense Pervaiz Khattak, who also emphasized that facilitating the Afghan traders would increase trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Senior officials of the Interior Ministry informed the Committee that introduction of new visa category regarding health tourism is on the cards, and would be soon implemented.

In his remarks, Khattak said that implementing the recommendations of Pak-Afghan Trade and Investment Forum 2020, which was organised on the Special Initiative of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, would facilitate the traders on both sides of the border.

He said that promoting health tourism would bring substantial revenue for Pakistani exchequer especially facilitating the hurdle-free entry for Afghan patients.

Khattak further said that livestock export should be regularised and brought under enforcement by the relevant government agencies.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Arbab Shahzad stressed on the resolution of trade disputes between both the countries.

Representative from the Ministry of Commerce informed that trade dispute resolution mechanism was functional and the details would also be deliberated upon in the renewal of trade agreement with Afghanistan.

While deliberating upon the recommendation of Pak-Afghan Trade and Investment Forum, 2020, related with increasing the PIA flights between both the countries, it was discussed that flight's fare were relatively high for Afghan nationals, and it would be decreased.

Special Envoy for Afghanistan Sadiq Khan emphasised that the air fares needed to be standardised as per international standards.

While deliberating upon the recommendation of making Pakistan Railway transit trade friendly, representative from Pakistan Railways informed that eight projects were under process and so far 28 trains have been run for Pak-Afghan Transit trade.

He also informed the Committee that ML-1 would be run from Torkham to Peshawar under the CPEC project.

The representative from the Ministry of Port and Shipping informed that dedicated lane cannot be spared for Afghan Transit Trade; however, cross stuffing would be allowed soon for Afghan transit trade goods.

The meeting was attended by members National Assembly Mohsin Dawar, Usman Tarraki, Sajid Hussain Turi, Israr Tareen, Salahuddin Ayubi, Nafessa Khan Khattak, and senior officers from the Ministry of Railway, Interior, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Commerce, Food, and Port and Shipping.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020