Afghanistan and Pakistan reach trade and transit agreements

KABUL (Khaama Press): After two days of discussions, the officials from the Taliban’s Ministry of Commerce and the Pakistani delegation agreed on trade and transit.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Taliban, unexpectedly announced on Thursday, March 28th, that bilateral talks between the caretaker government delegation led by Nooruddin Azizi, the acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, and the Pakistani delegation led by Muhammad Khurram Agha, the deputy minister of commerce of that country, had taken place.
According to the statement, in bilateral negotiations with Pakistan, emphasis was placed on separating politics from trade and on trade and transit relations without obstacles for the benefit of the people of both countries.
The spokesman for the Taliban government added that both sides discussed the APTA agreement in the negotiations and decided that this agreement should be finalized within the next two months.
The agreement with Pakistan would provide facilities for transferring goods from international containers to local containers in the ports of Karachi within a maximum of six months. The statement stated that the two sides agreed that both parties would receive preferential treatment for 10 items of exported goods, including 8 agricultural products and 2 industrial goods.
According to Mujahid, an agreement was reached on a temporary entry document for the free movement of trucks for one year between both sides, which will be implemented from the beginning of May of the current year.
Both sides have also agreed on the transit of goods through the airports of both countries in the next two months.
Pakistan has also agreed to lift the obligation of bank guarantee within one week and to confine itself to insurance as in the past.
According to the statement, Pakistan has also committed to taking necessary actions to remove other obstacles upon the advice of the Afghan side.
The statement also mentioned that both sides have refrained from barter trade and agreed to establish and develop banking relations between the two countries.
After two days of negotiations, the Pakistani side has expressed readiness to purchase Afghan coal at the global rate.
A delegation led by the acting Minister of Commerce of Pakistan arrived in Kabul a few days ago at the invitation of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Taliban.