PESHAWAR: The business community and customs authorities agreed in a meeting here on Thursday to work jointly for removal of impediments to trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which would help increase import-export business and strengthen the regional economy.

Collector customs appraisement Mohammad Saleem chaired the meeting, held at Model Customs House, Peshawar.

According to a statement issued here, the business community was represented by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry senior vice-president Manzoor Elahi and former FPCCI president Ghazanfar Bilour.

The participants stressed the need for taking practical steps by all the stakeholders to restore peace in the region and improve bilateral trade volume and import-export business among all regional states.

The meeting was attended by officials and representatives of the State Bank of Pakistan, FIA and customs department. It agreed with the SCCI proposals focusing on removal of hurdles to the mutual trade and transit trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan and exports to the central Asian countries.

Mr Elahi and Mr Bilour said mutual trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan had declined, which was a matter of grave concern. Later, the officials of the departments concerned assured the meeting that steps would be taken to facilitate trade activities at every level.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2020