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ISLAMABAD: While India is ready to join Afghan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), Islamabad is reluctant to include a third country in the arrangement.
Pakistan recently turned down a suggestion of including India in transit trade agreement with Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
“We have conveyed our stance to the Afghan government in this regard,” an official of the commerce ministry told Dawn.
According to the official, inclusion of a third country in a bilateral arrangement does not make sense anyways but more so in case of India. “There is a pro-Indian lobby in Afghanistan which wants Islamabad to allow Indian goods transport via Wagah border” the trade officer said anonymously.
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of Asia summit said that India was ready to join the APTTA. She said India has created facilities to receive Afghan trucks coming through Pakistan.
Indian demand for joining the treaty is based on the perception that it will allow India to export goods via Wagah border to Afghanistan but for obvious reasons Islamabad is not inclined to grant the facility at the movement.
As an alternative India is investing in port project at Chabahar in Iran for access to Afghanistan market but Wagah is the most economical route for it for exports to Afghanistan and onward to Central Asian States.
With the support of Asian Development Bank, Pakistan has initiated a project to establish three land port authorities at Wagah, Landi Kotal and Chaman border points.
Once these land ports are established, trade on land route will be facilitated, the official in the commerce ministry said.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar received Owen Jenkins, British Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Afghanistan-Pakistan affairs, here on Wednesday.
Jenkins was accompanied by British High Commissioner, Philip Barton and Head of UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) Joanna Reid.
During the meeting, they expressed unanimity of views on efforts for peace and development in Afghanistan which would help achieve stability and progress in the whole region.
They also agreed that the Asia Conference would play a contributing role towards achieving this objective.
The visiting team appreciated the progress Pakistan and Afghanistan have made in the CASA-1000 energy project.
The finance minister shared with Jenkins the details of important developments in the Pakistan-Afghanistan economic cooperation. He apprised Jenkins of the headway made during the recently concluded Joint Economic Commission meeting, especially in the realm of trade facilitation.
He said that Pakistan has undertaken Kabul-Jalalabad highway project which is progressing well as it wants to promote regional connectivity with Afghanistan.
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2015
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Comments (59) Closed
Dec 10, 2015 07:10am
I agree with the Pakistani government. This is a bilateral agreement which needs to be etched out between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Lets not let any third party interfere in the affairs of two neighbours.
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Dec 10, 2015 07:41am
It is mainly for the interest of Afghanistan. For India if not through wagah border, then through chabahar port, which is developing by India. However this will be more expensive for Afghan people.
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Dec 10, 2015 07:58am
Never include India in transit trade; being security concern.
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Dec 10, 2015 08:00am
Tbat was the only reason for which India re started dialouge!
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Dec 10, 2015 08:06am
Indian have to address religiously Kashmir issue and once India give the right to the Kashmiri people then we will support and give way fro trade.
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Dec 10, 2015 08:06am
Pakistan is loosing a golden chance to earn transit fees. It's not that India will allow any concession on ' core issue' if transit is not allowed. If it would have been so then ' core issue' must have been received resolved by now.
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Dec 10, 2015 08:19am
no problem.india will transport its goodsfrom chahabahar port,iran as it is a much safer route to transport goods to afghanistan(and iran) and also revenue to indias all weather friend iran.
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Dec 10, 2015 08:33am
By stopping India from the gaining access to Afgan market to help it grow n prosper Pakistan will be not only be killing the long term possible tax gain or good will gesture from Afghanistan but also push India to wards alternate options making its so called statigic location irrelavrnt. Plyz do think .
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Dec 10, 2015 08:46am
@Shaukat Ali Khan Security concern or worried about losing your piece of the pie to the larger economy?
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Dec 10, 2015 08:52am
@Ali Indians are happy with current Kashmir issue and about to stamp it resolved.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:16am
Trade will benefit the whole region and bring long term security and stability to the region. I personally feel that India only want to move in the direction where it gets the most benefit but do not address the demands of other business partners. Pakistan and India has serious issues to resolve and they should work on all fronts at the same time. Allow limited trade/ transit, start meaning negotiations, increase people to people contacts.
This region has big potentials and all the countries should work together to bring these benefits to the ordinary people.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:26am
What kind of breakthrough are we talking about when trade would not be happen between the nation.Its only resuming cricketing ties and Kashmir issues.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:33am
This action of Pakistan justifies India's Chabahar port development initiative.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:49am
@Shaukat Ali Khan Don't cry about the Chabahar Port development then.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:51am
Iran, Afghanistan is asking the trade route with India too. Denying them this right will not go well with them.
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Dec 10, 2015 10:21am
Can we really think on these so called trade lines without settling the core issue? Moreover haven't we learned the lesson from the Indian funding and replenishment of terrorist camps in Afghanistan operating against Pakistan?
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Dec 10, 2015 10:51am
@manav .....The route through Chahbahar is still not open for traffic dear, it is just hypothetical. Will never be an economical trade route from all angles even when open.
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Dec 10, 2015 10:52am
@Aksahay .... No affect on Pakistan's health and fitness.
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Dec 10, 2015 11:50am
What relation actually Pakistan and India want? Better to avoid useless talks and concern to internal matters.
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Dec 10, 2015 12:56pm
@Shobhit We aren't crying. Please go for it
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Dec 10, 2015 01:07pm
The euphoria is over. Back to square one?
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Dec 10, 2015 01:09pm
Economically India is more stronger than Afgan & Pak . India would like to trade with Afgan , PAk etc . This would not only increase trade between three of us but it will also create new jobs for all of us. Our people & countries need to develop as much as possible. As a long term effect economy will be much stabilized and it will neutralized negative elements in our societies.
Let there be peace all over the regions.
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Dec 10, 2015 01:34pm
For the overall development and prosperity of the region, Pakistan should give transit permission. It will be a win-win situation for all. It is a golden chance. We can skip Kashmir issue for over a decade or so, but not the future of Pakistanis.
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Dec 10, 2015 02:03pm
Its not Just Pak, its entire world , European union has protected its market from Indian chines goods.
Its matter of interest. every country has interest.
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Dec 10, 2015 02:10pm
I think Pakistan should allow transit route to India,Only trade between Afghanistan,Pakistan and India will reduce the tension between them and will increase trust. Once the trust is there Kashmir,Terrorism issue will be resolved with little effort.
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Dec 10, 2015 02:15pm
Pak should allow India to move trade goods through its territory. Similarly India MUST open traffic from Pak to Bangladesh/Burma.
Development and progress for the both countries.
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Dec 10, 2015 03:18pm
How can we allow transit trade to a country which promotes terrorism and separatism in our country? It can not happen till India mends its ways. We are obliged by international law to provide Karachi port for transit trade. India can use it if they like. Use Chahbahar or any other port if they want. Nobody will loose any sleep over it.
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Dec 10, 2015 03:22pm
what was this conference for? US & UK just wanted to break the isolation & humiliation of Pakistan. Is it not their responsibility to force Pakistan to open trade routes & close the terror sanctuaries.
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Dec 10, 2015 03:42pm
Pakistan should allow India to join APTTA. This will be in the long term interest of Pakistan. The sooner we understand this, the better.
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Dec 10, 2015 03:54pm
Cat is out of the bag.This was what the sweet talking was all about......wily indians trying a different tactic
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Dec 10, 2015 03:58pm
Pakistan shouldn't allow it. Agreed with Pakistan Government.
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Dec 10, 2015 04:00pm
Excellent decision.
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Dec 10, 2015 04:24pm
Afghanistan offer land route for Pakistan to Tajikistan, Pakistan offers sea access to both Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
What has India got to offer being the very end of the link? access to Nepal?
Apart from politics, this does not even make sense on the normal commercial sense.
What is the point to facilitate our direct competitor at the cost of our own industry and transport sector?
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Dec 10, 2015 05:43pm
Not required, we are building Jawahar port and transit route to Afganistan and central asia to europe. Lets see who loose.
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Dec 10, 2015 05:57pm
@Naveed Very well said. Our region need honest and forward looking leadership. They should really work towards establishing a European Union type of agreement in place. This will benefit the ordinary people and bring big investments to the whole region.
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Dec 10, 2015 06:04pm
India is currently supporting terrorist activity within Pakistan. Under no circumstances we should allow them transit rights for anywhere. We do not need business with India. Their PM Modi recently boasted in Bangladesh that India broke up Pakistan and created Bangladesh. I would rather deal with a snake than with India.
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Dec 10, 2015 06:15pm
@Aksahay - Keep developing your port and leave us alone. But you know that it is much cheaper to use the land route through Pakistan than your port and that is why now your government is portraying that all of a sudden it is serious about talks.
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Dec 10, 2015 06:32pm
@Shobhit
you are welcome to use Chabahar, the Iranians have lost interest in it. It is also dependent on volatile Afghanistan. Please carry on wasting your money.
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Dec 10, 2015 08:35pm
@SSS
India has signed contracts worth only $85 million for Chah Bahar. Gwadar breakwaters alone cost $140million. Chah Bahar is at least a decade away from completion.
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Dec 10, 2015 08:51pm
Good work Pak govt. don't want to see a single indian truck pass through our territory. Could be used for espionage or subversive activitity. I don't trust the Indians
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Dec 10, 2015 08:54pm
@Sadhu Chah bahar is no match fr Gwadar. It's not even operational and India can't pay except maybe in gold
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Dec 10, 2015 08:58pm
@manav you are aware that Iran captured an Indian oil rig due to Indian financial delinquency and its vote against Iran in the UN resolution about their nuke program? Iran was also the first country to recognize and celebrate Pakistans independence from British-run Bharat. So much for all weather friend lol.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:13pm
Right decision by the government of Pakistan to exclude India from the deal. Trade ties makes no sence when there is violence on the border, Muslim state of Kashmir is unresolved and, accordingto government, India is behind terrorism in Pakistan.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:28pm
Pakistan has absolutely the right stance here. India has to learn that trade negociations are a two way street - if they want access through Pakistan then what are they willing to offer in return? if the answer is nothing, then have a nice day and ship your crap throgh Iran.
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Dec 10, 2015 09:50pm
@Ahmad Its not Just Pak, its entire world , European union has protected its market from Indian chines goods. Its matter of interest. every country has interest
yeah but u got it wrong, we want route to Afghanistan not to sell to Pakistan, Afghanistan to needs it bec they want to sell to india
to pakistn we can sell at wagah border
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Dec 11, 2015 12:52am
First things first !
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Dec 11, 2015 12:57am
No matter what India develop in Iran or elsewhere. This route is the most economical route. Pakistan can collect transit fee, but India will take our market we can only compete with India not to let go through Pakistan. Our export to land lock countries will diminish to zero, India will take all.
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Dec 11, 2015 01:00am
China ruined our economy, now India want to ruined our economy. We will not Let India go through Pakistan to take all the trade.
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Dec 11, 2015 01:09am
It is Pakistan's right to allow access thru its land. There are some assumptions here though. Wagah border is not the only or the most economical way for goods transport between India and Afghanistan or even between India and Pakistan. Indian industrial states such as Maharastra, Gujarat and all southern states would rather use the sea routes, which are good for bulk transport such as chemicals and food items or automobiles. Western and Southern Indian states are more Industralized. There are many developed ports in India now. Trade goes on regardless of war or obstructions.
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Dec 11, 2015 02:56am
@Adnan Aziz but we should resolve kashmir issue otherwise war will always loom in the background and trade will fade.
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Dec 11, 2015 02:57am
Let the route from India go via Kashmir. To do that UN plebiscite is a must.
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Dec 11, 2015 03:39am
Include India on one condition. Condition first resolve Kashmir issue. And negotiate with India based on how much India will be benefited at least in 50 years period. Get 50% of that benefit at least. For both countries it will be win win.
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Dec 11, 2015 03:56am
Disallowing transit route for Indo Afgan trade will put a question mark on success of success of Sushma-Sartaz agreement.Grab the opportunity to further growth in the region or spurn the opportunity to the detriment of the region as a whole
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Dec 11, 2015 06:28am
@Anil ....The hurry of Indians is obviously a result of frustration due to isolation in the region. There is still more and much more to come for the prosperity of the region with a big question mark for the Indians. Karakoram Railways and Motorways for example.
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Dec 11, 2015 06:31am
The truth will never be known. But India must understand that they have continuely undermined Pakistan were ever it could so why should Pakistan bend backwards to allow the Indian....go ahead build as many ports as you like...but the most important issue for India it must do more and make the first move to earning trust with Pakistan rather than just look for economical benefit. India forget that Afghanistan is not only Pakistan neighbour but its brother.
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Dec 11, 2015 06:35am
@Anil ......Sushma-Sartaz agreement is not more important than UN resolutions. There are volumes of such like agreements dictated by US on the request of the needy parties but with no success. Then it is not a binding to let everyone crisscross the country particularly with their history of terror activities for decades.
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Dec 11, 2015 09:31am
Indians can use Iranian port its between India and Iran. But we mustn't let India use our roads till all the disputes are sorted out with India.
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Dec 11, 2015 09:32am
India-Afghanistan connectivity is never good for Pakistan. Too much security concerns and Pakistan needs trade with Central Asian countries for our economy but better route is through friend China.
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Dec 11, 2015 10:08am
@rich we just want IOK resolved
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