ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday extended the ‘Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) 2010’ for six months beyond May 11, 2021.

The extension was essential to facilitate uninterrupted flow of transit trade between the two countries and to provide sufficient time to technical teams to conclude negotiations on the new APTTA-2021, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The 2010 agreement superseded the Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement that was signed in 1965. The 1965 agreement granted Afghanistan the right to import duty-free goods through Pakistani seaports.

The 2010 APTTA allows both countries to use each other’s airports, railways, roads and ports for transit trade along designated transit corridors. The agreement does not cover road transport vehicles from any third country, be it from India or any Central Asian country.

Razak, Faizi jointly chair virtual ceremony held in Kabul to sign Protocol-VI

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood and Afghan Minister for Industry and Commerce Faizi Ghoryani jointly chaired a virtual ceremony for signing of the ‘Protocol-VI of APTTA 2010’. Secretary Com­merce Mohammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqi and Deputy Commerce Minister of Afghanistan also attended the ceremony.

The Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan along with the trade and investment counselor in Kabul represented the government at the ceremony held at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Kabul.

The two sides also agreed to meet in Kabul on the sidelines of the ninth APTTCA meeting to push forward the negotiations on APTTA-2021 and also to hold business and investment conference next month.

Mr Dawood and Afghan Minister Ghoryani appreciated the work of technical teams for the progress attained so far in the negotiations. They directed the technical teams to forge consensus on the outstanding issues in the new APTTA-2021, to ensure its conclusion, signing and notification at the earliest for the benefit of trade, transit, investment and connectivity between the two brotherly countries.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2021