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Pakistan Creates Obstacles for Afghan Trucks in Transit
Trucks carrying the packed containers of Afghan traders have been stranded in Pakistan though Islamabad reopened border crossings with Afghanistan about a week ago.
Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) says Pakistan is asking for visa and passport from the Afghan drivers which is not applicable.
“This is not applicable, Pakistani drivers are not ready to apply for visa. Afghan government has not created any obstacle for them, our business will be fully closed with Pakistan if Pakistan continue this policy,” Khanjan Alekozay, deputy of ACCI said.
Afghan traders say they are paying $40 everyday for each container stand idle in Torkham and Chaman crossing borders.
“They are making excuses, the issue of visa and passport is not mentioned in the APTTA agreement,” Ahmad Shah Yar and Afghan trader said.
The Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (also known as APTTA) is a bilateral trade agreement signed in 2010 by Pakistan and Afghanistan that calls for greater facilitation in the movement of goods amongst the two countries.
The Afghan ministry of commerce and industries suggest the alternatives for Afghan businessmen and urge them to look towards other countries, which are equally willing to engage in trade with Afghanistan.
“In several meetings, including the Geneva and Human Right, we have discussed that Pakistan must not create problem for business and transit,” said Musafer Qoqandi, spokesman for the ministry of commerce and industries.
Qoqandi added that we have alternatives, but “our vision is that we should have good business and transit relations with all countries and if specific countries are creating problem it will cost them too.”
ACCI records show that around 5,000 packed containers and 800 trucks carrying containers have been stuck in Torkham border crossing.
The Chamber blames Afghan government for not taking fundamental steps to resolve the Afghan traders problems.
Reported by: Lyda Niazy
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More needs to be done to boost local industry, says Kabir
The deputy prime minister for policy, Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, met with Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, at Sapidar Palace on Tuesday and discussed issues around the quality of domestic products and the need to grow and develop the industrial sector.
Azizi said that good trade relations with neighboring countries has resulted in stable prices of goods in the country.
He said the Ministry of Commerce and Industry works closely with the private sector. As a result, the private sector functions in a befitting manner and the Islamic Emirate has provided necessary facilities.
Azizi said that based on the Islamic Emirate’s good economic policies, there has been a significant development in the import/export sector in the country.
Kabir in turn voiced appreciation for efforts by the leadership of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and said: “The unprecedented efforts of the IEA’s administrations and the stability of the Afghan currency caused the price of food ingredients to remain in the right state and our people also be able to buy essential materials.”
He emphasized the need to work for a balance in trade with neighboring countries, and said more efforts were needed to improve the quality of domestic products and to grow the sector.
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Russia and Tajikistan hold joint military drills along Afghanistan border
Russia and Tajikistan conducted a joint four-day military exercise along the border with Afghanistan in order to be prepared for any “potential threats”, Tajik media reported this week.
Russian military personnel from the 201st military base in Tajikistan participated in this exercise. Reports stated military personnel practiced various combat tactics, especially tactics to counter terrorist groups that illegally enter Tajikistan.
This comes amid repeated concerns expressed by Afghanistan’s neighbors about what they claim are terrorist threats originating from Afghanistan.
The Islamic Emirate has not yet commented on the drills but has repeatedly denied the presence of terrorist groups in the country. The IEA has also continuously said no militant group will be allowed to threaten another country from Afghanistan.
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ّIt is said that the decision against the channels was taken for “not observing the principles of journalism.”
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