The Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) members from Pakistan met with the Ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan, Syed Abrar Hussain, on February 16, 2017 at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul, on the sidelines of fourth PAJC workshop.
The members of Pakistani delegation included Qazi Humayun, former ambassador; Mian Sanaullah, former ambassador; Tahir Khan, prominent journalist; Imtiaz Gul, head of CRSS and Malik Mustafa, team leader CRSS.
Ambassador Hussain said that he was very glad to meet the visiting delegation from Pakistan after he missed the chance of meeting during their last visit. He updated the delegation about various developments on bilateral issues and Pakistan’s developmental activities in Afghanistan.
The ambassador said that the temporary deployment of doctors at Torkham border was an attempt to gauge if it was a useful practice. The issues of health emergency visas for Afghans and police registration for the attendants accompanying the patients are being considered for official policy making. To improve people to people contacts, Pakistan is issuing 6-month multiple entry visas – which can even be extended – to most of the Afghan applicants for travelling across the border, comparing to one-month visas issued by Afghan embassies in Pakistan. In this regard, daily 2000-3000 Afghans are being facilitated by Pakistan’s embassy and consulates. Updating the delegation on the issue of outsourcing visa issuance process and drop box facility for visa application, ambassador Hussain said that it was near to completion. Though, it took time for quality assurance and to ensure transparency in the process. A committee has been formed to thoroughly scan and shortlit the potential bidders. With this new process involving biometric verification, the people from far flung areas will have offices/ drop box facility in their localities. The possibility of opening new consulates was also discussed during the meeting.
On the health cooperation, he said that issue of customs duty on equipment for Pakistani hospital in Afghanistan is also being negotiated. A group of doctors and paramedics has also been sent to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for training and capacity building.
Ambassador Abrar Hussain said that the issue of mistrust needs to be addressed as it causes gaps. To help improve the trade, the issue of border corruption and fake/ perilous drugs should be tackled establishing quality assurance mechanisms to ensure the trade of quality products. The Afghan importers should also bring quality products for trade and perception improvement.
The import of Pakistani goods especially from Karachi suits the traders there is Afghanistan. More stakes need to be built in our business for the other side. The bilateral and transit trade are linked. Addressing the administrative bottlenecks in bilateral and transit trade, and the formalization of informal trade can greatly improve the situation and overall trade. He also added that the politicians in Afghanistan can play a critical role in improving the perceptions. Updating the PAJC members on the education cooperation, he said that the new scholarship programme will also include masters and PhD degrees.
Ambassador Hussain also said that the leaders should not be egocentric if the aim is to improve the bilateral relations.
Mr. Shahbaz Hussian, deputy head of mission who was also present on the occasion, said that the people to people contacts are critical and need to be conserved to improve our relations with Afghanistan. In this regard, the hospitals in Pakistan should also charge reasonable prices from the Afghan patients. He underpinned the need to address the bottlenecks in trade. The rail link from Helmand (Afghanistan) to Gwadar (Pakistan) can greatly improve the regional trade and transit between the two countries and the region. He also underscored the need for the delivery of political commitments. He said that the access should be given to the innocent Pakistani prisoners in Afghan custody.
The visiting Pakistani members said that an international approach should be adopted to the solution of Afghan problems and not just a regional approach.
Mr. Imtiaz Gul said that the US support to Afghan government should not be interpreted as inaction. The physics of Af-Pak relation is such that they cannot live without each other.