Dawood asks exporters to send proposal for Pak-Afghan trade agreement

Adviser to the PM on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzak Dawood on Thursday asked exporters to send proposals for the Pakistan-Afghanistan Perennial Trade Agreement (PTA). 

Dawood chaired the first consultative session with stakeholders at the Ministry of Commerce. Taking to Twitter, the advisor said valuable inputs were provided the stakeholders. 

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He said the session will be followed by sector-specific meetings "so Pakistan's request list" for the agreement can be finalised. The meeting with Afghanistan is expected to take place mid-December. 

"I request all exporters to send their proposals to MOC at the earliest," he wrote. "Bilateral trade with Afghanistan has to be placed on a sustainable growth path."

After Prime Minister Imran Khan's maiden visit to Kabul last Sunday, Dawood said the ministry was looking at "engineering, pharmaceutical, cement, building materials, fruit and vegetables for enhancing the trade liberalisation between both of the countries".

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Prior to the premier's visit, Dawood led a trade delegation to the Afghan capital for two-day visit to discuss ways to boost bilateral trade ties with their counterparts in Afghanistan. He also held a one-on-one meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. 

"Many understandings reached on several issues relating to trade & transportation," he wrote on Twitter. "Hopefully, APTTA & the PTA will be finalised by the end of January 2021."

"Will hold extensive meetings with all stakeholders in the coming days. Tremendous opportunities exist and I hope that our businessmen will realise them."