Afghanistan, Pakistan hold talks to facilitate bilateral trade

Kabul [Afghanistan], July 20 (ANI): Afghan Minister Nooruddin Azizi on Tuesday said that the country is holding talks with a Pakistani delegation to sign an agreement to facilitate bilateral trade.
A trade delegation from Pakistan led by Pakistan's Commerce Secretary Saleh Farooqui arrived in Kabul on Monday evening to hold a discussion on coal imports along with transit and barter trade between the two countries, TOLO News reported.
"The barter trade, which is a serious issue for Afghan traders, cross-staffing, the trade of materials, and coal will be discussed," the acting Minister of Commerce and Industry Azizi said.
Pakistan's Commerce and Industry Ministry had earlier said that delegates with hold talks regarding trade, transit and transportation with the Afghan authorities.
The Pakistani delegation is led by Commerce Secretary Saleh Farooqui. Earlier, Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce and Industry said the delegation will discuss trade, transit and transportation with the Afghan authorities.
The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) had also said that Islamabad is trying to extend its trade with Afghanistan, local media reported.
"Pakistan is trying to ramp up imports from Afghanistan. There are some technical problems in Wagah, Karachi, Ghulam Khan, Spin Boldak and Torkham which create hurdles against trade," ACCI member Khanjan Alokozai said.
Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock (ACAL)'s head Mirwais Hajizada said that Afghani traders are facing difficulties while exporting fresh fruits and vegetables to Pakistan, it added.
"The exports stopped during the fruit season. Either their scanners are destroyed or they don't scan it," Hajizada said.
According to the data provided by the ACCI, the exports to Pakistan are over USD 300 million.
Kabul had earlier raised coal prices for Pakistan, two days ahead of the delegation's visit. The coal price has increased from USD 200 to USD 280 per tonne.
The price of coal was increased owing to the constant surge of price in the global market, Afghanistan's Ministry of Minerals and Petroleum spokesperson Ismatullah Burhan said adding that 10,000 tons of coal are exported to Pakistan every day earning the country millions.
Earlier this month, the Taliban had increased the price of coal by 30 per cent after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved of importing coal from Afghanistan.
As per Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan would save more than two billion dollars by importing coal from Taliban-led Afghanistan.
Shehbaz Sharif had approved the import of super-critical quality coal from Afghanistan in Pakistani rupee instead of dollars to help generate low-cost electricity in the country. (ANI)