Chairman of Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Zubair Motiwala has urged the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to separate business and trade ties from political tensions and ensure strong security measures that are vital for stabilization and sustainability of both the countries.
"The two governments should allow economies to function freely rather than politics obstruct the free flow of economic activities," he said, adding that such economic disturbances cause other countries to penetrate Afghanistan as quantum of trade with Iran and India has been growing positively in recent years.
He believed that both the governments would keenly follow-up the matter and would develop measures of a long term nature, for ensuring overall economic stability in the region. Motiwala said that PAJCCI stands by all relevant measures that are required to be taken. However, closure of borders for such long duration intermittently causes permanent, long-term damage to the bilateral and transit trade.
"The stranded consignments of previous closure are still not cleared at the border and this recent closure has further aggravated the situation," he said, adding that it resulted in financial losses, heavy demurrages, waiting time, uncertainty and diversion of both bilateral and transit trade to other avenues that caused psychological rift as well.
He said it also resulted in long-run instability in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Motiwala and Khan Jan Alokozai, co-chairman - Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry, expressed grave concern over closure of Chaman border, that is critically affecting traders on both the sides, in terms of immense financial losses and trust deficit.
They also took note of frequent border closures within a short span of time that has been the major reason behind the wavering confidence of business and trading communities across the border. At a recent press conference in Afghanistan, Khan Jan Alokozai, elaborated the impacts of the recent political tension and shutdown of the Afghan-Pak borders for bilateral and transit trade and established that by having the transit agreement with Pakistan and also as a member of WTO, SAARC and ECO, Afghanistan urged that Pakistani authorities should attach utmost priority to this matter as sealing of border causes damages in millions of dollars, which is now intolerable for the Afghan business community.
Representing the sentiments of the Afghan business community, he feared that due to frequent closures, transit route of Pakistan may not remain a preferred choice for Afghan businesses which would also significantly affect the bilateral ties between the two countries not only economically and politically but also in terms of social connectivity.