July 14, 2020: Pakistan on Monday said it will restore Afghanistan’s exports through the Wagah border with India from Wednesday at the special request of Kabul and to facilitate Afghan transit trade.
There was no word on Indian exports to Afghanistan, sources in New Delhi pointed out.
Pakistan had closed the Wagah border with India in mid-March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“At the special request of the Government of Afghanistan and with a view to facilitating Afghanistan’s transit trade, Pakistan has decided to resume Afghan exports through Wagah border crossing from 15 July 2020, after implementing Covid-19 related protocols,” the Pakistan foreign ministry said in a statement.
The foreign ministry said that with this step, Pakistan has fulfilled its commitments under Afghanistan–Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA). It also said that Pakistan remains “fully committed” to improving bilateral relations with Afghanistan in all areas including trade, and to facilitate Afghanistan’s transit trade under the agreement.
Mohammad Sadiq, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, said his country has already restored bilateral trade and Afghan transit trade at all border crossings.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share 18 crossing points. Pakistan closed its border with Iran and Afghanistan after Covid-19 cases increased in the country early this year.
According to officials, Pakistan is the largest importer of Afghan products, while Afghanistan is the fourth largest destination for Pakistani exports.
Source: The Indian Express
