Accord reached on Afghan-Pak joint trade centres

KABUL.

ACCI deputy head, Khan Jan Alokozay, in a joint press conference with a number of Pakistani traders in Kabul said that the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ACCI had reached an agreement on establishing joint centres in the capitals of the two countries in order to improve business relations.

Based on the agreement, only those businessmen whose assets are valued at more than $100 million could be granted membership of the centers, he said. So far 16 Afghan traders had become members of the centers, he added.

Alokozay said members of the centers would advise the Pakistani and the Afghan governments to resolve problems relating to businesses between the two countries.

He asked the governments to separate trade relations from politics and do not create problems for business activities among the two countries.

He said Afghanistan imported goods worth $2.5 billion from Pakistan and Afghanistan exported goods worth $2 million to to Pakistan each year.

The volume of trade between the two countries could be increased to $5 billion if business relations between the neighbours improved, he added.

Alokozay also hinted at a three-day exhibition of Pakistani products scheduled to be launched on Thursday at the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel.

He said 40 Pakistani companies would participate in the exhibition that would showcase food items, construction materials, electronics, cosmetics and others.

mds/ma