KABUL (Pajhwok): Finance Minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal and his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday discussed a range of options to expand the volume of bilateral trade.
As the 9th session of the Pak-Afghan Joint Economic Commission got under way in Kabul, Dar headed a 14-member Pakistani delegation. Zakhilwal led the Afghan side at the meeting that will last till Monday.
Zakhilwal said several issues were on the agenda, including an increase in the bilateral trade volume from the existing $2.5 billion to $5 billion, construction of a dam on Kunar River and the supply of 1,300 megawatts of electricity from Central Asia to Pakistan.
The supply of gas from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India, construction of the Torkham-Jalalabad dual carriageway and the Chaman-Spin Boldak railway track and a road from Pakistan to Tajikistan through Afghanistan are also on the agenda.
In addition, he said issues pertaining to easing the visa regime for traders and labourers, provision of 3,000 scholarships for Afghan students and cooperation in the field of industry and agriculture would be discussed.
Zakhilwal said the delegation heads would inaugurate the Torkham-Jalalabad carriageway and other Pakistani-funded projects.
Dar said that the construction of the dam on Kunar River and the supply of electricity from Central Asia to South Asia through Afghanistan were projects of immense importance for both countries.
aa/rm
Views: 2
GET IN TOUCH
NEWSLETTER
SUGGEST A STORY
PAJHWOK MOBILE APP