ECC approves export of commodities to Afghanistan in Pakistani currency

• Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin virtually chairs the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting.
• ECC removes 45 % regulatory duty on the import of pine nuts from Afghanistan.
• ECC approves compensation amount of $116 million to Chinese employees' families who lost their lives during an attack on Dasu project.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) allowed the export of certain commodities, including sugar, rice, fish and meat, in Pakistani currency to Afghanistan on Friday, Geo News reported.

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin virtually chaired the ECC meeting.

According to a statement issued by the ECC after the meeting, fruits, vegetables, cement, salt and dry fruits were also included in the list of export items, while the ECC removed the 45% regulatory duty on the import of pine nuts from Afghanistan.

Under the chairmanship of Tarin, the ECC meeting also approved the compensation amount of $116 million to Chinese employees' families who lost their lives during an attack on Dasu project.

The committee further approved urea fertiliser factories to supply gas till March at the rate of rupees 839 per MMBtu.

According to the statement, approval was also granted to set up an advisory committee under the finance minister for releasing 5G-spectrum licensed.

Furthermore, the committee approved a technical grant of Rs4 billion to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Rs5 billion to the Ministry of Planning and Development to conduct a census.

Besides this, for the procurement purpose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the budget of Rs11.96 billion was also approved by ECC.