Govt to revise Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement

PESHAWAR: Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) is going to be revised in the light of the convention on the International Transport of Goods (TIR) to make the accord more appropriate for facilitating transit trade facilities between the two neighbouring countries.

The decision was taken at the 6th two-day meeting of Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) in Islamabad that was jointly chaired by Muhammad Shehzad Arbab, Secretary Ministry of Commerce and Mozammil Shinwari, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Commerce and Industries Afghanistan. Presidents of the APJCCI Zubair Motiwala and Khan Jan Alokozay represented their respective teams at the meeting.

The two sides decided to organise a pilot run of Afghan trucks from Torkham and Chaman up to Waghah carrying Afghan exports to India and Pakistani trucks from Torkham and Chaman carrying Pakistani exports to Sher Khan Bandar (Tajikistan’s border).

The Afghan trucks will be allowed to carry Pakistani exports to Afghanistan on their return journey. Similarly, Pakistani trucks will be allowed to carry Tajik and Central Asian export cargo on their return journey to Pakistan.

For the movements of trucks in the territory of two countries, Afghan side proposed for finalising the bilateral transport agreement. Pakistan side agreed to provide the draft agreement through diplomatic channels within one month.

Afghan side agreed to issue WeBOC user IDs for non-commercial importers of Afghanistan through its Ministry of Commerce and Industries. Pakistan Customs also handed over the list of non-commercial importers to Afghan Customs.

Pakistani side agreed to consider Afghanistan’s proposal to waive guarantee requirements for items not prone to diversion and to abolish the current negative list for Afgh`an Transit Trade.

According to the minutes of the meeting, the co-chairs highlighted the significance of bilateral trade and transit trade and reiterated the resolve of the leadership of the two countries to enhance bilateral trade to $5 billion and to further facilitate the transit trade.

It was agreed the provisions of the present agreement would be revised and amended appropriately with a view to further facilitating the transit trade. The two sides agreed in principle that the provisions of TIR Convention will be adopted in APTTA.

The Convention on International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention) is a multilateral treaty that was concluded at Geneva on 14 November 1975 to simplify and harmonise the administrative formalities of international road transport. Pakistan and Afghanistan are signatories to TIR convention.

The meeting was informed that Afghanistan would share a draft text of amended APTTA with Pakistan by March 15, which would be deliberated in the 7th APTTCA meeting to be hosted by Afghanistan in the last week of March, 2016.

The PAJCCI showed the concerns of the private sector from across the border. The two sides deliberated on several transit and bilateral matters of mutual concern.

Motiwala raised issues faced by Pakistani businesses pertinent to trademark and intellectual property right, multiple visa problems to the Pakistani firms, the need for appropriate banking channels, missing trade leads from Afghanistan and resolution of several execution related transit matters to establish confidence building measures across the border.

A joint committee comprising of representatives from both the countries would also be constituted to discuss the issues relating to visas, road permits and guarantees for the implementation of the TIR system in both countries and to address future issues in this regard.