Pak should allow transit access of goods, says Afghan envoy

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 27

Afghan Ambassador Shaida Mohammad Abdali today expressed the hope if Pakistan allowed transit access of goods from Afghanistan via the Wagah-Attari Joint Check-Post to India, then it would once again revive the age-old trade ties between Kabul and Amritsar.

Beginning his keynote address by saying he was pleased to be in this historic part (Amritsar) of India which unites different regions and even countries, he added that “this city has long been associated with my country”.

He said travelling on the GT road here reminded him of the vision of the great Afghan emperor, Sher Shah Suri, who had built the road about five centuries ago, uniting different regions and countries at that time.

He said “my present mission in India was to explore and revive old ties in trade, business, culture and in other spheres with this country and am doing the same here. I am here to assess how can those ties be revived and nurtured for posterity”.

He said as part of the old ties, direct air connectivity between Kabul and Amritsar will also be restored.

FIEO president SC Ralhan, addressing the interactive session, stated these meets provide ample information about business opportunities available in Afghanistan.

He said the FIEO, which is an apex export-promotion body with over 20,000 active members, covering all segments of exports from all over India, is actively holding the interactive sessions.

The FIEO has recently opened its 17th office at Amritsar this month for the exporters of this city. The local office facilitates the exporters in Amritsar by taking up important export-related issues connected with customs, cargo, policy, etc with the authorities concerned.

He elaborated that Afghanistan is an important neighbour of India with good trade and cultural relations. However, the trade relations between the two countries have not been commensurate with the existing potential.

He emphasized our challenge lies not only in expanding trade between our two countries but also diversifying it. We must analyze the reasons for low trade and also identify the business opportunities, so that trade between the two countries increases in the near future and also both exports from India and imports from Afghanistan.

There is also a need to improve transport connectivity and economic collaboration between the two countries. India has been investing in Afghanistan in sectors like infrastructure, mining, power generation, transmission lines, hydroelectric power projects, roads etc.