ISLAMABAD, February 19: The Federal Government has agreed to give Afghanistan trade access to India while using Pakistani soil, while in response Afghanistan has agreed to give Pakistan land trade access to Sher Khan Bandar, a border area of Tajikistan.
Sources said that one year before, a proposed trilateral agreement had been drafted for land trade among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan which had to be signed. At the time of signature, Afghanistan had put the condition to include India in agreement, however Pakistan opposed the Afghan’s condition and after it trilateral transit trade agreement has become uncertain which could not be signed so far. In these circumstances, the government has agreed to give Afghanistan trade access to India.
“The government has agreed that Afghan trucks can use the route of Wagha, while taking goods to border area and also decided to give permission to Afghan trucks to use the routs of Torkham and Chaman for transferring the goods, similarly the Afghan government has agreed that Pakistan to use Sher Khan Bandar, a border of Tajikistan to access the land trade”, sources added. Sources further told that Afghan trucks have been allowed to export Pakistani products on returning from Wagha while Pakistani trucks would be permitted to export products on return from Tajik border. The government of Pakistan also agreed upon to consider the Afghan proposal to eliminate existing negative list for Afghan Transit Trade. In this connection, Afghan Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA)’s meeting was held on February 14 and 15 in Islamabad. In the meeting, both the countries agreed upon different matters, sources concluded.-Online
