Kabul-Islamabad Trade Volume Dropped by 80 percent: Pakistani official
Pakistan and Afghanistan trade via Torkham border has decreased to $500 million from $ 2.5 billion.
Pakistan and Afghanistan trade via Torkham border has decreased to $500 million from $ 2.5 billion.
Pakistan and Afghanistan trade via Torkham border has decreased to $500 million from $ 2.5 billion due to governmental stringent policies, political problems and repeated and long closures of the border. This was stated by KP Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Zahid Ullah Shinwari while talking to journalists during his visit to Torkham Custom Office here on Wednesday.
According to the Nation news service, Shinwari warned that if such governmental policies are not revised the trade between two Islamic countries would come to an end.
“Because of anti-trading policies, adopted by the Pakistani government pertaining business with Afghanistan, the Afghanistan traders have started to work with other countries like Iran, India and China,” the KPCCI president said.
He said the drop in Pakistan and Afghanistan trading volume is very alarming at a time when Islamabad is making efforts to control its trade deficit.
Zahid Ullah Shinwari requested the government to remove discriminatory clauses regarding trade with Afghanistan
He suggested the government to introduce simple and one window clearing process at Torkham border, introduced by Custom department in other parts of the country to boost trade.
Political tensions between Kabul and Islamabad intensified due battles over common Afghanistan-Pakistan borders over the past two years.
Political tensions between the two neighboring countries have also reduced trade deals.
