Qamar: Trade balance has tilted in Kabul’s favour

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): For the first time ever, Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan has gone in favour of Kabul, says the federal minister for commerce.

In an interview published on Monday, Syed Naveed Qamar linked the pro-Kabul trade tilt mainly large-scale coal imports from the landlocked country.

Pakistan badly needs coal for cheaper power generation in the country.

Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan have slumped to $857 million in 2021-22 from $2.6 billion in 2010-11, the minister acknowledged.

The News quoted Qamar as saying the new Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) was yet to be signed.

He, however, insisted the overall bilateral trade was picking up as four crossing points -- Torkham, Chaman, Kharlachi and Ghulam Khan -- remained open.

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