DUSHANBE, February, 14, 2014, Asia-Plus – Perspectives of joining the Afghan-Pak trade transit agreement (APTTA) were discussed at a roundtable that took place in Dushanbe on February 12.
Speaking at the meeting, Ms. Larisa Kislyakova, First deputy Chairperson of Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), noted that Tajik authorities were taking efforts to develop transport corridors to ensure movement of commodities into and out of the country.
According to her, Tajikistan’s joining APTTA agreement will give the country’s private sector access to Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi ports, promote simplification and unification of transit traffic procedures (including customs prosecutors), and minimize transit traffic costs.
We will recall that Afghanistan and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Afghan-Pak trade transit agreement (APTTA) in July 2010. The two nations also signed a MoU for construction of rail tracks in Afghanistan to connect with Pakistan Railways. In October 2010, the landmark APTTA agreement was signed by Pakistani Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Anwar ul-Haq Ahady, Afghan Ministry of Commerce. The APTTA allows Afghan trucks to drive inside Pakistan to the Waqah border with India, including to the port cities of Karachi and Gwadar.
In November 2010, the two states formed a joint chamber of commerce. The APTTA agreement has taken effect after several Afghan trucks delivered fruits from Afghanistan to the Waqah border with India in June 2011. With the completion of the APTTA, the United States and other NATO states are planning to revive the ancient Silk Road. This is to help the local economies of Afghanistan and Pakistan by connecting South Asia with Central Asia and the Middle East.
In July 2012, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to extend APTTA to Tajikistan in what will be the first step for the establishment of a North-South trade corridor. The proposed agreement will provide facilities to Tajikistan to use Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi ports for its imports and exports while Pakistan will enjoy trade with Tajikistan under terms similar to the transit arrangement with Afghanistan.
