Pakistan, Taliban-led Afghanistan agree to establish joint trade commission
Nov 12, 2021
Kabul [Afghanistan], November 12 : Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to establish a high-level interstate commission that will deal with trade issues between the two countries, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
The decision was made at a meeting of Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Afghan foreign minister, appointed by the Taliban and his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on Thursday.
The commission is expected to be tasked with monitoring the implementation of a bilateral trade strategy, Sputnik reported
Last month, the Pakistani top diplomat said that the countries had agreed to simplify travel between the countries. At the meeting in question, Qureshi detailed Islamabad's initiatives regarding Kabul, including free access to all Pakistani ports for Afghan traders, the free movement of heavy vehicles, resumption of the movement of passenger buses, and an increase in air traffic.
During his meeting with acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said his country will continue efforts to help Afghanistan resolve its humanitarian crisis, Anadolu Agency reported.
Speaking about his country's commitment to peace and stability in Afghanistan, Qureshi said Pakistan will continue its efforts to facilitate humanitarian assistance and economic support to the country amid the difficult circumstances faced by its people, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.
"Foreign Minister Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to strengthen bilateral relations with Afghanistan in all areas [and] emphasized that peace in Afghanistan would help strengthen regional stability and spur economic activity and connectivity," it said.
Muttaqi, who arrived in Islamabad on his first visit along with a high-level delegation Wednesday, also met with officials from China, Russia, Pakistan and the US special representative for Afghanistan on the sidelines of the Troika Plus meeting held Thursday in Islamabad.
