Business
Traders say Pakistan, Afghanistan visa change ‘wishful thinking’
The local traders have termed reciprocal visa relaxation to Pakistani and Afghan transporters for promotion of bilateral trade between the two neighboring countries as ‘too little and too late’.
They said this move would not provide substantial financial benefits to traders.
Reacting to Islamabad’s agreement with Kabul to grant six-month reciprocal visas to transporters to facilitate cross-border movement of goods, Zahidullah Shinwari, the former president of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Dawn News that it was “wishful thinking” on part of Pakistan’s government that the relaxation could either expedite bilateral trade or could bring about positive changes in the existing trading relations between the two countries.
“Unfortunately successive governments failed to accept our demands in the recent past about bringing about prompt, timely and productive changes in the trading relations with Afghanistan,” he said.
He said that their demands for such visas has not been met in the past and instead “now when the present Taliban (IEA) government in Afghanistan is faced with acute economic problems and their banking system has almost collapsed, appeasing transporters with six months visa facility could fetch us little financial gains.”
“We need to think big and act big if we are serious in multiplying our existing dwindling trade with Afghanistan,” he said.
Sabir Khan, a clearing agent at Torkham, told Dawn News that businessmen from both sides could accelerate the pace of trade rather than the transporters, who were acting only as carriers and not the actual trading party.
Haji Azeemullah Shinwari, a representative of local Pakistani transporters, welcomed the decision and said that it would help to resolve their longstanding issues.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said Thursday it has signed cooperation agreements with ten institutions to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, said: “In the implementation of projects, we must pay special attention to our activities and actions and try to make useful use of the projects according to the requirements and benefit the beneficiaries.”
These ten institutions are to present their projects, the total value of which is around over $1.1 million. The projects will be carried out in Kabul, Baghlan, Ghor, Herat, Logar, Nangarhar, Balkh, Badakhshan and Jawzjan provinces and provide direct jobs for about 1,000.
To date, the ministry has signed MoUs for 72 projects in total, collectively valued at about $53.6 million.
These agreements have been signed with domestic and foreign companies for the establishment of small and medium-sized businesses.
In accordance with the principles and laws of the Islamic Emirate and prioritizing the implementation of projects for immigrants and returnees and internally displaced people, the ministry said 635,865 people will benefit through jobs directly and over 4.3 million will benefit indirectly in 25 provinces once these projects are implemented.
The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) confirmed Tuesday that in the last month of solar year 1402, (March 2024) Afghanistan’s exports totaled $141.1 million and imports totaled $789.6 million.
This was down from $174 million for exports in the same period in 1401. However, imports increased by $99.2 million in 1402, up from $690.4 million.
Most exports in the last month of 1402 went to Pakistan, India and the United Arab Emirates, while in the last month of 1401 exports went to Pakistan, India and China.
The Ministry of Interior said the governor of Herat province Islam Jar met with Alim Khan Yasin Gildaye, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Afghanistan, to discuss various issues around trade.
According to the ministry, the two sides discussed the expansion of trade facilities, increasing the volume of trade exchanges between traders of the two countries, reducing customs tariffs, solving the challenges of traders and issuing visas to them.
The Afghanistan-Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce has been opened in Herat in order to facilitate and increase trade between the two countries.
IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects
Ten people killed by floods in Helmand
Rashid Khan threatens BBL pullout after Australia postpones Afghanistan T20I series
UN envoy meets Indian foreign minister to discuss Afghanistan
Traffic accident leaves one dead, four injured in Herat
ATN secures TV and digital rights to broadcast IPL 2024 in Afghanistan
Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss Gaza
Afghanistan and India play out goalless draw in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Dead body of Quran-burner found in Norway
ATN secures rights to produce, broadcast second season of KPL
Tahawol: China’s call for inclusive government in Afghanistan
Saar: UN’s report on poverty in Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Russia and Tajikistan hold joint military drills along Afghanistan border
Saar: Anti-corruption efforts & better public services discussed
Tahawol: Abdul Kabir’s recent remarks discussed
-
Sport4 days agoACL fever grows as fixtures finalized
-
World4 days agoUS will not take part in any Israeli retaliatory action against Iran
-
Latest News4 days agoOver 50 people dead in traffic accidents over Eid
-
Latest News4 days agoUS identifies Kabul airport suicide bomber
-
Latest News4 days agoGood rains enable DABS to increase power production in Kabul
-
Business4 days agoAfghanistan-Kazakhstan chamber of commerce opens in Herat
-
World3 days agoIsraeli military vows response to Iran attack as calls for restraint mount
-
Latest News3 days agoPakistani police give Afghans in Balochistan one day to leave