PAJCCI, as a result of its series of meetings, has been recommending several measures to facilitate economic activity with Afghanistan including waiver of E-Form & EIF requirement for the extended period till finalization of alternate mechanism, opening up of new border crossings, increase in timings at existing border crossings, reducing multiple and manual checks, adding items to PKR trading category, barter trade mechanism implementation, exploring new items for trade, cross-stuffing & de-stuffing of containers, sales tax and duty drawback claims policy, setting up separate visa counters for the business community at border crossings, development of infrastructure on both sides, joint tariff rationalization and effective transit trade policy and mechanism.
These and several other issues are being escalated along with recommended solutions at multiple forums like the Afghan inter-ministerial committee, Ministry of Commerce, Pakistan Customs, FBR, FIA, NLC and State Bank of Pakistan.
Zubair Motiwala; Chairman PAJCCI appreciated the decision of the federal cabinet approving amendments in Paragraph 3(1) of the Import Policy Order 2022 to allow the import of goods of Afghan origin against Pak rupee and without the requirement of Importers Electronic I-Form (EIF) forms for a period of one year. However, Afghan exporters will provide a Certificate of Origin issued by Afghan Customs proving that the goods have originated from Afghanistan.
He hopes that other trade barriers will be jointly discussed with Afghan government in this week’s Ministry of Commerce; Government of Pakistan delegation to Kabul for early resolution including barter trade, 24*7 operationalizing of border crossings from. Afghan side, rationalization of increased duties & taxes on coal imposed by Afghanistan, release of transit coal shipments from CARs, matters of bilateral and transit trade impacting both countries.
Ministry of Commerce delegation is on visit to Kabul from July 18-20, 2022 and will be carrying out discussion and negotiations on Bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, transit, transport facilitation and border facilitation, issues being faced by traders in bilateral and transit trade between the two countries will also be discussed.
The meeting is part of an ongoing process of bilateral engagements between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the fields of trade, transit, connectivity and economic cooperation. Pakistan decided to further relax trade conditions with Afghanistan, including barter trade and transactions in Pakistani rupee and wants border facilities to operate round the clock to facilitate coal imports from Afghanistan.
Pakistan will also be providing wheat flour to Afghanistan on humanitarian basis after procuring 120,000 tons of wheat on the request of World Food Program; United Nations.
PAJCCI as the foremost representative of PAK-AFG business community is anticipating reduction of duties and taxes on coal and other items, 24*7 border timings, facilitation of transit trade and resolution of operational issues from Afghan side to compliment the measures taken by Government of Pakistan for trade facilitation specifically with Afghanistan.