ahlam1399
12-23-2017, 12:00 PM
ISLAMABAD: The trade ties with Afghanistan are currently touching the lowest ebb as Kabul has unilaterally abandoned the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement signed in 2010 and sought a new trade accord with India as a partner.
So much so, the Kabul administration does not stop here as it has also threatened moving WTO (World Trade Organization) on frequent closure of borders by Pakistan, one of the top men in the commerce ministry confided to The News.
Furthermore, Kabul has asked for the constitution of a new forum instead of Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) and also ensuring effective monitoring of implementation of the Transit Trade Agreement. Both the countries have held six meetings under APTTCA so far and the seventh was due on September 11-12, 2017, but it was not confirmed by the Afghan side. Both the countries are virtually facing a stalemate over the last one and half year. The APTTCA could not meet mainly because of Kabul administration, which wants permission of India-Afghanistan trade through Wagah and Atari borders.
According to a latest letter written by Kamila Siddiqui, Acting Minister for Commerce and Industries and Deputy Minister for Trade Affairs of Afghanistan, on December 10, 2017, addressed to Pakistan?s Commerce Minister Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, Kabul has asked Pakistan to replace APTTA with a new agreement. Above all, the letter says the new agreement should adjust bilateral relations to the rules of multilateral trading system of which both are members.
Pakistan responded on December 20 in a letter written by Secretary Commerce Younas Dagha addressed to Kamila Siddqui saying that she and Afghan Minister Humayun Rasaw are invited to ECO-ministerial conference to be held in Pakistan on 23-24 January. The official said the argument of abandoning the APPTA by Kabul carries no weight as in 2015 this agreement was renewed until 2020, besides an automatic renew clause was included in the agreement signed in 2010.A top official said the Afghan Transit Trade through Pakistan has increased from US $2.550 billion in 2014-15 to US $3.350 billion in 2015-16. Besides, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics 75,288 containers reached Afghanistan under APTTCA by using Pakistan?s road network in 2009-10, in 2010-11, 56,203 containers, in 2011-12, 27,927 cargoes, in 2012-13, 27,401 cargoes, in 2013-14, 36,274 containers, in 2014-15, 49,507, in 2015-16, 61,629 containers and in 2016-17 (upto March 3, 2017), 37,673 containers used Pakistan infrastructure to enter into Afghanistan, but in return Pakistan got nothing against use of road network.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/qoeppNRbJ-U
أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/com/cwEr/~3/qoeppNRbJ-U/259562-kabul-abandons-aptta-seeks-new-transit-accord)
So much so, the Kabul administration does not stop here as it has also threatened moving WTO (World Trade Organization) on frequent closure of borders by Pakistan, one of the top men in the commerce ministry confided to The News.
Furthermore, Kabul has asked for the constitution of a new forum instead of Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) and also ensuring effective monitoring of implementation of the Transit Trade Agreement. Both the countries have held six meetings under APTTCA so far and the seventh was due on September 11-12, 2017, but it was not confirmed by the Afghan side. Both the countries are virtually facing a stalemate over the last one and half year. The APTTCA could not meet mainly because of Kabul administration, which wants permission of India-Afghanistan trade through Wagah and Atari borders.
According to a latest letter written by Kamila Siddiqui, Acting Minister for Commerce and Industries and Deputy Minister for Trade Affairs of Afghanistan, on December 10, 2017, addressed to Pakistan?s Commerce Minister Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, Kabul has asked Pakistan to replace APTTA with a new agreement. Above all, the letter says the new agreement should adjust bilateral relations to the rules of multilateral trading system of which both are members.
Pakistan responded on December 20 in a letter written by Secretary Commerce Younas Dagha addressed to Kamila Siddqui saying that she and Afghan Minister Humayun Rasaw are invited to ECO-ministerial conference to be held in Pakistan on 23-24 January. The official said the argument of abandoning the APPTA by Kabul carries no weight as in 2015 this agreement was renewed until 2020, besides an automatic renew clause was included in the agreement signed in 2010.A top official said the Afghan Transit Trade through Pakistan has increased from US $2.550 billion in 2014-15 to US $3.350 billion in 2015-16. Besides, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics 75,288 containers reached Afghanistan under APTTCA by using Pakistan?s road network in 2009-10, in 2010-11, 56,203 containers, in 2011-12, 27,927 cargoes, in 2012-13, 27,401 cargoes, in 2013-14, 36,274 containers, in 2014-15, 49,507, in 2015-16, 61,629 containers and in 2016-17 (upto March 3, 2017), 37,673 containers used Pakistan infrastructure to enter into Afghanistan, but in return Pakistan got nothing against use of road network.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/qoeppNRbJ-U
أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/com/cwEr/~3/qoeppNRbJ-U/259562-kabul-abandons-aptta-seeks-new-transit-accord)