Efforts underway to develop economic ties between Kabul and Islamabad: TDAP

Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) says efforts are underway to expand economic and trade relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

Muhammad Zubair Motiwala, chief executive officer of (TDAP) made the remarks at Imam Abu Hanifa 2nd National & International Expo & Trade Fair which was held in Kabul this week.

Motiwala said his country is trying to increase the export of coal from Afghanistan to Pakistan and the import of cement from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

He added that in the last two years, the volume of trade between Kabul and Islamabad has increased to $2.4 billion and this trend is expanding.

“We are trying to expand the economic relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and now the volume of annual exchanges between the two countries reaches 2.4 billion dollars,” said Motiwala.

Officials at the Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) also said that there has been a significant increase in trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the last two years.

Members of ACCI meanwhile say that 80 percent of the previous problems with Pakistan have been solved, but new problems have arisen, one of which is that the Central Bank of Pakistan has imposed new restrictions on the transfer of money by Afghan businessmen.

IEA and Pakistan officials have repeatedly emphasized the expansion of commercial cooperation between the two countries, but political and security issues have a negative impact on commercial relations from time to time.