Pakistan and Afghanistan to enhance trade: 4th meeting of pak-afghan transit trade coordination authority concludes

Kabul, October 10, 2013 (PPI-OT): The 4th meeting of Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) concluded in Kabul. Both sides expressed the resolve to intensify efforts to enhance bilateral trade and facilitate the traders and businessmen of the two neighbouring countries.

The Pakistani side was led by Secretary Commerce, Mr. Qasim M. Niaz, while the Afghan side was represented by the Deputy Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industries, Mr. Mozammil Shinwari during the two days meeting. It was agreed to resolve the outstanding issues relating to the implementation of APTTA. The meeting took important decisions to facilitate and encourage the transit trade of the two countries.

In order to implement the Electronic Data Inter-change (EDI) connectivity and its utilization for release of financial guarantee, the meeting agreed to launch, initially, EDI pilot project by the both sides at Torkham with effect from 1st November 2013. The project would be afterward extended to Chaman, Harithan and Sher Khan Bandar.

In order to expedite the clearance process at border customs offices, the meeting agreed that the bilateral exports of the two countries would also use EDI messaging with effect from 1st March 2014. The EDI messaging will replace the manual documentation for release of financial security submitted by Afghan importers at Karachi and cross-border certificate.

The Pakistani delegation informed the Afghan side that its Customs authorities had planned to launch automated clearance system, Web Based One Custom (WeBOC), for Afghan Transit Trade under APTTA 2010. Under this, system, the Afghan importers are required to be registered with the WeBOC system online.

The Afghan side was also informed that they were charging US$ 100 per vehicle permit issued by Minister of Commerce and Industry Afghanistan transporting transit cargo, while no such permit is required for Afghan Transit cargo in Pakistan.

The Afghan side replied that they had abolished transit permit requirement through the introduction of new transit system at Torkham. The Pakistan delegation was also informed that the requirement of production of copy of agreement between Pakistani exporters/importers and third countries importers/exporters had also been abolished.

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