Following their meeting with the National Security Advisor on March 14, 2017, the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) of business leaders from both countries met with Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairman Siraj Muhammad Khan, and other members of the Standing Committee on Commerce and Trade, at the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS). CRSS Executive Director Mr. Imtiaz Gul briefed the Standing Committee on the Beyond Boundaries Pak-Afghan track 2 initiative undertaken by CRSS and the special dialogue convened between Afghan and Pakistani business/trade delegations to discuss the recent issues and repercussions arising out of the border closure and to push for resuming transit and bilateral trade.
Mr. Ahmed Shah Yarzada stated that the purpose of forming the PAJCCI was to jointly resolve any problems that may arise in the bilateral trade of Pakistan and Afghanistan by Pakistani and Afghan chambers of commerce and industry. The joint delegation shared the problems faced by the business communities on both sides of the border with the Standing Committee following the closure of borders where the two are losing millions on a daily basis.
Chairman Siraj Khan began by saying that emergency situations like security and terrorism give the right to any country to take decisions like these and, in this case, the closing of the border was Pakistan’s natural instinct. He stated that he had discussed the issues being faced by businessmen in the transit trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan and recommended that the containers that are stuck on both sides should be given access across borders by at least opening the border points for a temporarily period till they cross over. Both the governments, he stated, can then sit together to formulate a permanent strategy on security and trade as well.
The Chairman also asked the PAJCCI members present to write to the Standing Committee on Commerce and Trade and list all the problems being faced, including non-implementation of ACTA meetings, the increase in taxes, as well as any others, as an effort to inform the committee on the latest situation and the particular problems being faced on both sides. The Chairman stated that his committee will then recommend to the Commerce Minister to try and resolve all the issues of PAJCCI. He stated that he will also talk to the Chairman FBR and other relevant ministries, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior, and any other concerned departments to resolve the problem of the containers that are presently stuck.
A member of the Standing Committee informed the PAJC delegation that the committee had also recently taken a decision to issue 2 to 5 years multiple visas for businessmen, visas for students and a permanent resident status to anyone who had married in Pakistan and lived for more than 10 years. He stated that these and many other important initiatives were sent to the Prime Minister and within 1-2 weeks their notification will be issued.
The meeting concluded with Chairman Siraj Khan assuring the PAJC delegation of the committee’s best efforts to recommend the early opening of the border for at least the passage of the stuck containers.
CRSS Executive Director, Imtiaz Gul, shared the “Joint Declaration” of the the two groups with Chairman Siraj Khan.