Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser says enhancing trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is vital for economic development of the country.

He was chairing the meeting of Executive Committee of Pak-Afghan Grandship Group in Islamabad on Thursday.

The Speaker said that eliminating trade barriers and facilitating traders would enhance the trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan which is in the best economic interest of the country.

He said that ease of doing business especially in and around borders areas would also increase employment opportunities for our people

Asad Qaiser said decreasing non-tariff barriers on both side of the border will enhance mutual trade especially Pakistani export would bounce back which were affected due to COVID-19 Pandemic.

Referring to his recent telephonic conversation with his Afghan Counterpart, Speaker Asad Qaiser said that Afghan Speaker was convinced that Parliaments can play an important role in enhancing bilateral economic and trade relations besides people-to-people contact between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Muhammad Arbab Shehzad appreciated Speaker Asad Qaiser for his special initiative for trade liberalization between both countries.

He briefed the Executive Committee on the issues of border and visa issues point by point. He informed that clearance at Torkham border backlog due to COVID-19 would be done within this month taking all stakeholders on board.

The Minister for Defence Pervaiz Khattak assured the Executive Committee about the facilitation on part of Ministry of Defence at the borders.

He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan were neighbors and their destinies were tied up.

He said that trade facilitation and concessions to either side would usher in economic prosperity not across the borders but the whole region.

The Advisor to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood assured the Executive Committee that trade barriers and concession would be granted to Afghanistan being one of the huge market for Pakistani commodities.

He said that Pakistan Afghan Transit Trade agreement is expiring in June next year and renegotiation of the agreement has been initiated.