The Afghan Ministry of Commerce announces the extension of the APPTA Memorandum between Afghanistan and Pakistan for another six months. Afghanistan and Pakistan reportedly extended the Afghanistan-Pakistan-APPTA transit agreement for another six months on Thursday. Planned by the Ministry of Commerce in Kabul, Pakistani officials said the MoU had been extended for another six months. Kabul and Islamabad were expected to make the most of the opportunity.

 

Pakistani officials said the memorandum was signed on Thursday between Afghan Minister of Industry and Trade Nisar Ahmad Ghorian and Pakistani Minister of Commerce Razak Daud. Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul, Mansour Ahmad Khan, tweeted: “The two countries’ trade ministers welcomed the increase in trade and exports between the two sides. In addition, both Kabul-Islamabad officials expressed satisfaction with the technical team’s efforts to renew the new APPTA contract. “Pakistan also welcomed the hosting of the ninth OPTIC meeting by Afghanistan and considered the signing of this memorandum a step towards boosting trade between the two countries.”

 

The Pakistani ambassador to Kabul also stressed that the Pakistani Minister of Commerce Abdul Razak Dawod had promised to come to Kabul with a group of Pakistani businessmen; A group of prominent Pakistani investors and businessmen are expected to accompany the Minister of Commerce on the trip. Thus, on the sidelines of the ninth APPTCA meeting, Pakistani investors will meet their Afghan counterparts, and the two sides will be able to provide incentive programs for each other.

 

Earlier in February, Pakistan extended its trade and transit agreement with Afghanistan for three months; The agreement gives Afghan traders access to sea and land ports for international trade and transport all their merchandise to India and other parts of the world. Instead, Pakistanis can access Central Asian markets through Afghanistan.

 

Meanwhile, Pakistani officials have previously announced that since February, 832,000 containers of Afghan goods worth $ 33 billion have passed through Pakistan over 10 years. At the same time, it is estimated that at least 30 percent of Afghan traders’ goods are transported through Pakistan to India and other parts of the world.