President, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (SCCI) Afan Aziz has called for devising a tangible mechanism with mutual consultation to remove the concerns of business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Bolachistan province regarding the new Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement ATTA.
He further said that the system could be proved beneficial to protect the interest of Pakistan business community and would promote mutual trade relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This, he stated while presiding over a meeting of Pak-Afghan Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) at the chamber house here on Thursday.
Those, who attended the meeting were included PAJCCI vice president, Usman Bashir Bilour, Engr. Daud Khan, the joint chambers directors Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, AQ Khalil, Haji Abdul Qayyum, Secretary General Faiza Nasir, FC Major Syed Umar Farooq, APA Landi Kotal, Khalil Mumtaz, Dr Mohammad Yousuf Sarwar, Assistant Collector Custom Torkhum Obaidullah, Engr Syed Mohammad.
Other members of the joint chambers, SCCI executive body members, former president KCCI, Majid Aziz, President Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Group, Gul Fazal Shinwari, and business community attached with Afghan Transit trade were also present at the meeting. The meeting discussed in detail regarding the new ATTA accord and thoroughly reviewed the business community concerns about it.
Afan Aziz stressed the need for removal of business community concerns over the new ATTA pact, demanded to reduce ratio of import duty on goods transiting under the agreement in order to curb smuggling from Afghanistan. He viewed that the ATTA had integral role to boost up trade relations between two neighbouring states. On the occasion, PAJCCI vice president, Usman Bashir Bilour in his address said that the joint chambers had taken drastic steps for identifying the available resources to overcome with the problems and issues facing business community at both side the border. He further added the PAJCCI aimed to provide maximum facilities and remove any impediments in trade relations between the two countries.
PAJCCI vice president said the business community has great concerns over the new ATTA pact, and there was needed to device a concrete mechanism to address all those issues faced by the people engaged with transit business. He informed the Afghan government has taken initiative for provision of multiple visas to Pakistani businessmen and PAJCCI had already submitted its recommendations in this regard, he added.
He said the boosting up trade relations, revival of banking system, exchange of business delegations, and provision of facilities to business community at both side borders are the main objectives of the PAJCCI. He added the meeting aimed at to discuss the issues of business community and their reservations over the new ATTA agreement. PAJCCI informed the joint chambers meetings will also be held at Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bolachistan and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry KCCI, followed by documented recommendations will present before the federal government.