KABUL (SW) – Transit trade via the truck service between Afghanistan and Pakistan would resume next week, said an official.
Maulana Zaheer, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Trade, told Salam Watandar that the technical committees of Afghanistan and Pakistan had been discussing the issue for several weeks to resolve transit trade issues and it was agreed that trade between the two countries could be facilitated.
According to Maulana Zaheer, an agreement has been reached between the two sides and the process will begin next week.
According to Amir Imammuddin Ahmad, director of information and public relations at the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, under the agreement, transporterts between the two countries will be allowed to travel to different cities, which will increase imports and exports.
He said they have now started preparations and will introduce transport companies to the other side.
“It has been agreed with them (Pakistanis) that they will issue a certificate to our vehicles and the companies and vehicles will be introduced us to them and they will issue a special certificate and that vehicle will be allowed to go there (Pakistan),” he told Salam Watandar. “We will certify any of their vehicles that come here and it has been agreed and this is a great achievement for Afghanistan.”
Meanwhile, Khan Jan Alokozai, a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the agreement was in the interest of both countries and would help resolve past transit problems.
He cited evacuation of commercial goods, waste of time, spoilage of goods and rising costs as problems that used to exist in the transit sector.
Although he did not seem to have much faith in past agreements with Pakistan, he said that if the agreement is implemented properly, it will not only increase exports and imports but also reduce financial costs.
This comes as officials at the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTA) have announced plans to hold talks with Uzbekistan to facilitate transit and transit of goods to other Asian countries as well.
ENDS
