Updated at: 1921 PST, Thursday, October 28, 2010
 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have finally signed the Pakistan-Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement today in Kabul, Geo News reported Thursday.
The sources said Federal Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and his Afghan counterpart signed the transit deal.
It was clearly enshrined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries that Afghanistan would be entitled to bring its trucks to Wahga borders, where goods would be transported to India on board Indian vehicles.
However, Pakistan declined to capitulate to this Afghan demand regarding offering India a safe corridor for the sake of national interests
India can dispatch its trade goods to Afghanistan through Port Qasim and aerial routes.
The truck drivers and other crew would be issued visas for taking goods and entry into Pakistan would be possible only after verification by biometric system.
It should be mentioned here that federal cabinet has already approved the agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
It should be mentioned here that on October 6, the Cabinet approved the Pakistan-Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement allowing Afghan trucks to Wahga border and they would carry only Pakistani export goods back to their country.
After the Cabinet meeting, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said since 1980, the Afghan trucks were allowed up to the Torkham border but under the new agreement they would be allowed access up to Wahga. But, the new agreement does not allow export of Indian goods to Afghanistan through the Wahga border, he clarified.
Earlier on July 18 this year, the agreement was signed between Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and his Afghan counterpart Dr Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady in the presence of Prime Minister Gilani and US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. |
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