After their meeting with DG Afghanistan, the 12 member Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) of business leaders from both countries met with Pakistan’s National Security Advisor (NSA), Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua, at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. The meeting lasted for two hours with a very candid, open and frank discussion between the National Security Advisor (NSA) and the group members which proved very beneficial for the visiting Afghan businessmen as well as their Pakistani counterparts.
The NSA warmly welcomed the business leaders from Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying that ever since the CRSS had approached him regarding the upcoming visit of the Afghanistan/Pakistan business leaders, he was very pleased and looking forward to host “his brothers and sisters from Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Addressing the business leaders present from both countries, the NSA stated that they held the key and were the force that, if used, can bind the two countries together better and help security and other bilateral issues.
Speaking on the issue of terrorism, the NSA stated that, “Our heart goes out for all the victims of terrorism as much as such acts hurt us here. We have to fight this enemy jointly and for that dialogue has to resume. For that the ball is in Afghanistan’s court.”
As Pakistan’s NSA, he stated, if anyone asked him to choose one country in the whole world, he would choose Afghanistan as his “darling country to have best relations with.” He went on to say that he was greatly grieved by what was happening between the two countries in the region and wishes that business would flourish between the two. Afghanistan is an important market for Pakistan and Pakistan has everything that the Afghans need. “Trust me, it is all yours and it awaits you,” the NSA stated, adding that “the only thing is the unfortunate conditions of security and the deteriorating situation” between the two countries. Hence, he stated, there is a need for the will to work together and resolve issues of bilateral concerns.
In response, the Afghan delegate Mr. Ahmad Shah Yarzada reciprocated as saying that the business community of Afghanistan also takes Pakistan as the best and most friendly country for business and trade. “We are neighbors. We have a future together. We should not lose hope,” he stated, insisting that Pakistan should open the border as soon as possible.
Mr. Zubair Motiwala, the head of the delegation, briefed the NSA on the heavy losses being suffered on both sides of the border following the abrupt border closure. Affirming that security comes first for the joint chambers which will not tolerate it, he condemned all terrorist activities. He reiterated the need for the security agencies on both sides to take stringent measures to monitor the border and requested that the borders should not be shut down like this. With the closure of borders, Pakistan is giving Afghanistan a chance to explore other markets, such as Iran, India and China, he said. If Pakistan will not open the border immediately, it will be replaced in trade by these above mentioned competing countries.
Mr. Gulab Khan, an Afghan delegate, explained that Afghan businessmen have even now started importing from Iran, following the border closure, and feel forced to send more samples to Iran for their production, which is ultimately replacing Pakistan as Afghanistan’s trading partner.
Mr. Ahmed Chinoy, a Pakistani businessman and a member of FPCCI, stated that while the security concerns of the state are legitimate and should be taken into account, the government should not let the economic ties, particularly the business & trade, become a victim of security issues.
The NSA agreed with the joint delegation present and stated that Afghanistan is the “Heart of Asia”, as said by Allama Iqbal (a Pakistani poet). Afghanistan, being a landlocked country with its borders connected to the Central Asian Republics (CARs) in the north, and Pakistan, with its access to the Ocean, could have a great future together in becoming a massive economic corridor, like CPEC. The NSA stated that Afghanistan and Pakistan could have a CARs-Af-Pak corridor of their own where Afghanistan and Pakistan would become the gateway to connect CARs & Russia to the Ocean. Unfortunately, due to the instability in Afghanistan, the will of the government is decreasing, which is a grave concern, the NSA stated.
The meeting ended on a positive note with the NSA resolving to put in his full efforts to reopen the Af-Pak border as soon as possible. He said, “I stand with all of you and do hope that the two countries should sit together and I will make my strong recommendations to open the border.”
Mr. Gulab Khan presented the “Joint Declaration” of their joint groups to the National Security Advisor.
