KABUL (SW) – For the past three days, a delegation from Pakistan, led by the appointed head of the Ministry of Commerce of that country, has been in Kabul to address issues in the trade and transit sector with the de-facto government of the Islamic Emirate.
Although details of the agreements reached by this delegation with the Islamic Emirate are not yet known, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, has urged sincere steps to be taken to resolve trade and transit issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Zia Ahmad Takal, the deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, “The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate emphasized the responsibility of the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan in ensuring the common values between the two countries’ peoples. According to Amir Khan Muttaqi, it is essential for Afghanistan and Pakistan to take joint and sincere actions to resolve trade and transit issues.”
Some experts consider Pakistan’s excessive privilege-seeking in economic relations with Afghanistan and intertwining economic and trade issues with political and security matters by the Pakistani government as among the most significant challenges that could continue to weaken the trade and transit between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mahmoud Izterabi, an international relations expert, told Salam Watandar, “There are many golden opportunities in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations; there is a ground for growth between the two countries, but unfortunately, due to problems, such opportunities have not yet materialized.”
Another international expert, Wali Forozan, suggests that Pakistan should not be seen as a permanent economic partner that is sincere with Afghanistan. He continues to emphasize the assessment of alternative ways to Pakistan.
Wali Forozan added: “In the past 75 years, the Pakistan issue has not been resolved. Therefore, Afghanistan should focus on developing other routes such as Wakhan, Chabahar, and other routes we have with Iran and Central Asia.”
Discussions on resolving the problems in the economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Islamic Emirate, with no details yet released regarding the results and agreements of these discussions.
It is worth mentioning that the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment considers the forced closure of banking grants, the unjustified stuck of commercial containers belonging to Afghan traders, and restrictions on importing goods from Pakistan as among the most significant challenges that Pakistan has imposed on trade and transit with Afghanistan.
