KARACHI: The PTI government deliberately sabotaged Pakistan’s trade relations with its nearest neighbor Afghanistan. Dr. Ghulam Nayab, former Commercial Attaché at the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Karachi wrote a detailed letter directly to the office of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan drawing his attention and requesting action to solve the basic problems of transit trade. But he did not reply positively.

Informed sources disclosed that unfortunately, despite the best efforts of former Commercial Attaché Dr. Ghulam Nayab, changes in trade facilitation have not yet been successful due to the completion of his term of service and the lack of cooperation and communication from the relevant authorities on both sides. During his tenure, he raised the traders’ grievances at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Forum 2020 in Islamabad, which was attended by businessmen, lawmakers, and civil society members from both countries. The same he discussed in detail in a special session titled "Reducing the Cost of Pak-Afghan Transit Trade". He made bold efforts to help the traders who were suffering from problems during the covid-19 era. On this occasion, Dr. Ghulam Nayab spoke to the representatives of the Government of Pakistan and requested them to resolve the problems faced by Afghan businessmen immediately so that transit and bilateral trade between the two countries could be improved and cooperation could be offered in resolving these serious situations, but all in vain, the sources added.

It was also published in several newspapers on August 20, 2020, stating that a letter written by the Commercial Attaché Office Karachi to the Directorate General, Transit Trade Customs House, Karachi has made several specific recommendations in response to the problems of Afghan transit trade, including lack of tracking devices, increasing demerits and detention, prolonged scanning and examination process and the slow movement of cargo at Chaman/Torkham. He offered to properly address these concerns immediately and also formally conveyed the request of the traders to meet the concerned senior officials of Pakistan, especially the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, along with the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad. In addition, the eighth meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) was convened in Islamabad in December 2020 to find a solution to the problem.

The situation required unconventional and significant efforts by the relevant authorities on both sides once again, as former Commercial Attaché Dr. Ghulam Nayab had done during his tenure at Karachi. He was the only Afghan Diplomat who had communicated with Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan about expanding economies through bilateral trade and transit between the two countries. He also urged both governments to avoid allowing political unrest to interfere with trade in order to promote easy geographic and economic interdependence and mutual benefits.

The sources urged that Pakistani officials and all those working with Afghanistan should embrace Afghan businessmen with open hearts so that Pakistan does not lose the investment of Afghan businessmen, these Afghans can easily park here, and afghan traders should be provided maximum ease so that they can invest more and more.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 26 2023

Like Business on Facebook, follow @DailyNCourier on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.