Govt decides to review Afghan Transit Trade Agreement

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has initiated work to revise the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement.

According to sources, the Federal Ministry of Commerce has been directed to prepare proposals for revision of the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement and consult stakeholders.

The sources said that the prime minister directed that the Ministry of Commerce should inform about the real import needs of Afghanistan. He also ordered that steps be taken to stop smuggling of essential commodities including fertilizer and sugar.

The sources said that the prime minister has asked for a report from the Ministry of Commerce in a month.

On the other hand, the government has decided to set up a Border Control Authority to prevent smuggling and the task of establishing the authority has been assigned to the Ministry of Interior.

The sources said that the Ministry of Interior will consult with the Ministry of Law and FBR for the establishment of Border Control Authority and all the institutions will give a joint response to prevent smuggling through the Border Control Authority.

It should be noted that a high-level meeting regarding the prevention of smuggling was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in which the report of the investigation committee headed by AD Khawaja was also presented regarding Afghan transit trade.

The report said that government officials were facilitating the smuggling under the guise of Afghan transit trade. The prime minister had directed departmental action by immediately removing the officers involved in the report from their posts.