Business
ACCI welcomes Pakistan’s move to establish a legal barter system
The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) on Saturday welcomed Pakistan’s move to establish a legal mechanism to provide for barter trade with two sanctions-hit neighbors — Afghanistan and Iran.
The decision was taken at a meeting of Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Thursday.
The ACCI said the adoption of the mechanism would be effective in preventing the smuggling of goods between the two countries.
“We are in favor of legal trade and good trade relations and mutual respect both with the countries of the region and with the whole world,” said ACCI deputy chief Mohammad Younus Mohmand.
Economists believe that improving trade and economic relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are key to increasing imports and exports between the two countries.
“If the Pakistanis use honesty in these matters, it is a big step, which is in fact a regional move, and it can be a good help in strengthening the Afghan economy and building trust in the Afghan economy, and it is not an easy step,” said Sayed Massoud, an Afghan university lecturer.
According to an official statement issued by Pakistan, the meeting, presided over by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, focused on a commerce ministry’s summary for “grant of regulatory support for establishing barter trade arrangements with Afghanistan and Iran”.
After discussions, the consensus “allowed regulatory cover to barter trade arrangements by amending relevant provisions” of the export and import policy orders.
Trade between Pakistan and Iran has stagnated for more than a decade mainly due to US sanctions on Tehran, while Pak-Afghan formal trade has suffered in the absence of a banking system in Afghanistan and Washington’s decision to freeze Afghanistan’s foreign reserves.
As a way out, the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Iran’s Zahidan Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed an agreement in November last year for a barter trade mechanism. Subsequently, other chambers of the two countries were also brought into the same system.
The same mechanism would also be replicated with Afghanistan given its heavy reliance on Pakistan for essential commodities, Dawn News reported.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran will facilitate trade and economic exchanges with Afghanistan, including easing procedures at customs and local marketplaces.
He made the remarks during a televised interview following his visit to South Khorasan province, which shares a border with Afghanistan.
Pezeshkian, in a separate event addressing local business leaders, highlighted the province’s strategic advantages, citing its rich mineral resources, proximity to neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, and access to the ocean via the Chabahar port. He described the region as “a golden opportunity not found everywhere,” emphasizing its potential for economic growth and cross-border commerce.
A Kazakh delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan met with Sediqullah Khalid, First Deputy Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank, to discuss ways of strengthening banking and economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement issued by Da Afghanistan Bank, Khalid said the central bank is keen to establish regular and effective banking relations with Kazakhstan as part of broader efforts to expand bilateral trade.
He noted that enhanced banking cooperation would help facilitate trade, investment, and wider economic interaction between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan, while also contributing to financial stability at the regional level.
Members of the Kazakh delegation also emphasized the importance of developing banking and economic ties and expressed their readiness to expand joint cooperation.
The two sides further agreed to establish technical committees from both countries to hold expert-level discussions and advance practical steps for cooperation.
Business
Afghanistan, Kazakhstan envoys discuss expanding trade and regional connectivity
Ambassador Shakeeb thanked Kazakhstan for its continued support and constructive engagement with Afghanistan, particularly in efforts aimed at peace and economic development.
Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, has met with Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin, to explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations and advance regional cooperation.
The two envoys exchanged views on Afghanistan–Kazakhstan ties, regional connectivity, and major infrastructure initiatives, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing regional trade. Discussions also touched on Kazakhstan’s role in promoting regional stability and other matters of mutual interest.
Ambassador Shakeeb thanked Kazakhstan for its continued support and constructive engagement with Afghanistan, particularly in efforts aimed at peace and economic development.
He expressed hope that the proposed $3 billion joint trade agreement, once finalized, would bring tangible benefits to both countries and contribute to broader regional economic integration.
Ambassador Kistafin reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s support for stability and economic growth in Afghanistan, highlighting his country’s involvement in key regional connectivity and trade projects.
He said the current security and stability situation in Afghanistan has increased Kazakhstan’s confidence in expanding regional trade and transit, and praised the efforts of the Islamic Emirate in this regard.
He also stressed the need for coordinated regional efforts to ensure lasting stability, sustainable economic development, and the smooth movement of goods and transit across the region.
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