PAJCCI team in Kabul for annual conference, board meeting

PESHAWAR: The business communities of Pakistan and Afghanistan have geared up to build trust and enhance confidence between the two countries to boost mutual trade and business ties.

Pakistan and Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), is holding its fourth annual conference and board meeting with the core objective of rejuvenating trust and establish confidence during this critical juncture.

The Pakistan chapter PAJCCI led by its chairman Zubair Motiwala, is in Kabul to attend the meeting. The two day meeting will end today after adopting a resolution calling for ‘Business First’ strategy for the neighbouring Muslim countries.

The delegation is scheduled to meet at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul at the end of the 9th Board meeting and 4th Annual conference followed by B2B (business-to-business) Meeting.  The delegation plans to call on Afghan Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish to discuss matters of mutual interests, besides exploring the ways and means of how to enhance the existing trade and investment ties between the two countries.

Motiwala during his interactions with the Afghans counterparts and officials emphasised that to facilitate the business and trading communities on both sides of the border, it was important to establish export houses. These export houses must be developed under the PAJCCI's umbrella and be run by professional management with due support from the governments on both the sides.

The concept, he said, would eliminate issues related to quality specifications, trust deficit, insurance and payment matters, and will build the confidence amongst the two sides.

He reiterated the need for revitalising regional cooperation and welcomed the extension of Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) to Tajikistan, Afghanistan's membership to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and both countries' accession to TIR which would greatly reduce their trade related problems.

PAJCCI Co-President Khan Jan Alokozay appreciated the effective role being played by PAJCCI by representing the business community across the border in both transit and bilateral matters.

He further specified that both chapters of PAJCCI should develop a comprehensive draft for the improvement of APTTA agreement in line with issues faced, so a joint proposal may be presented to the ministries on each side before the upcoming APTTCA meeting.

Alokozay and Motiwala also touched upon the holding of Dubai Conference in March this year saying the initiative would be a major breakthrough and would not only bring Afghan and Pakistani businessmen residing in Dubai on one platform, but also indulge Dubai based businesses in its fold as a mutual partner in regional integration.

They also reinforced the critical importance of the Pakistan Embassy in reducing the trust deficit and enhancing people to people relationship in both the countries as ambassadors of goodwill.

They expressed concern over the vacant position of the commercial counsellor in the Pakistan Embassy for the past six months, despite that the role is extremely vital for facilitating traders and businessmen.

They added that the embassy was a bridge between the two countries and should play a more active role in identifying business opportunities across the border. A display centre for Pakistani businesses should be established at the embassy for greater facilitation.