KARACHI: Afghan businessmen are compelled to conduct business with Iran as facilitation from Pakistan is significantly compromised.
Khalid Pashtoon, head of an Afghan delegation representing Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) said we intend to enhance and rejuvenate business ties between the two countries specifically and within the region in general.
Mozammil Shinwari, Former Deputy Minister of Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Afghanistan commenting on transit and bilateral trade, major irritants pertinent to transit trade should be eased. Due to official bottlenecks, transit trade between the two countries has declined drastically from 65 percent to 27 percent.
Karachi is the most economical route for Transit Trade for Afghanistan; however, Iran’s facilitation to Afghan businessmen is pulling the business away, he added. Under the theme, Beyond Boundaries Project-Phase II, PAJCCI members of both countries acknowleded the body’s role in strengthening bilateral trade.
Shoaib Suddle, head of the Pakistani delegation said further improvement should be brought and the mutual trade must flourish. He agreed that there are so many trade related problems between the two countries but both the governments should take steps to improve trade relationship for a greater good.
Faiza, Secretary General PAJCCI, raised visa related issues and mentioned that accession to India under the Transit umbrella is an uncalled for demand as India is not a complementary country rather a competing country that is affecting Pakistani businesses.
The bilateral relations need to be more established between Pakistan and India before inclusion in tri-lateral relations, however, Tajikistan being another land-locked country must be included in the tri-lateral bond.
Shazia Marri, member of the Standing Committee of Commerce-National Assembly commended the role of the PAJCCI in the betterment of Pakistan Afghanistan Transit and Bilateral Trade. She invited the PAJCCI board in the Standing Committee of National Assembly on Commerce to discuss the problems more precisely and also promised to raise the highlighted matters at a government level for prompt and considerate resolution.
Dr Shoaib Suddle and Junaid Makda conducted the briefing and highlighted the achievements of PAJCCI in a short span of time in strengthening the business across the border.
They were of the view for tariff rationalization and development of a export house as the dire need of time.