Islamabad refuses Kabul trucks access to Delhi

[Devil Soul]

Islamabad refuses Kabul trucks access to Delhi
By Shahbaz Rana
Published: November 24, 2015
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Afghanistan declines Pakistan’s request for access to Tajik border. FILE PHOTO

ISLAMABAD:
The mutual distrust that characterises Pak-Afghan relations cast its shadow on trade talks between the two countries on Monday as Islamabad refused to acquiesce to Kabul’s demands of allowing it throughway to New Delhi via the Wagah border.

During the tenth session of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) in Islamabad, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his Afghan counterpart Eklil Ahmad Hakimi could only agree on a new framework to complete already agreed upon bilateral economic goals without achieving a breakthrough on border access.

Afghan peace process: Kabul wants Islamabad ‘give up Taliban support’

Officials in the Economic Affairs Division said Kabul had sought access to New Delhi for its trucks via the Wagah-Attari border crossing. But Islamabad, citing security issues, denied the request. In response, Afghanistan declined Pakistan’s request for access to the Tajikistan border.

Pakistan also declined Afghanistan’s requests to allow its trucks to load cargo as they returned from Wagah to Kabul. Under the current regulations, Afghan trucks transporting goods can only drop off their cargo at Wagah and return empty to Torkham.

“We want access to South Asia and Pakistan wants access to Central Asia and we discussed how to gradually remove the bottlenecks [to achieve this shared vision],” Hakimi said as he and Dar addressed a news conference after the meeting.

Hakimi complained that there were gaps in the implementation of the 48-point agenda agreed between Afghanistan and Pakistan when President Ashraf Ghani visited Islamabad.

The news conference had been delayed by an hour after the Afghan side reportedly raised last-minute objections over the language of a joint statement. This had followed from troubles over holding the JEC which had been postponed once and its duration was cut down from two days to one.

The Afghan finance minister added that giving each other access to their respective neighbouring countries was ‘an important matter’.

Dar also acknowledged this common objective, but noted that security issues had slowed progress on implementation of certain elements. “The security issue will remain a top priority for our agenda.”

The finance minister went on to reiterate Pakistan’s support for Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process to improve the security situation in the region as he vowed to take forward the economic agenda of cooperation between the two countries.

However, the meeting was not a complete loss, as they discussed a project of Pakistan importing 2,000 megawatts of electricity from Turkmenistan via Afghanistan. A road project for expanding the western route under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which would see Gwadar connect to Herat via Khuzdar.

Dar said a road project for regional connectivity, which is proposed from Herat to Khuzdar and Gawadar was also discussed. The project, if implemented, would expand the western route under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.

In this regard, Dar said both sides had agreed to establish various Joint Working Groups (JWGs) on energy, trade, commerce, development projects executed in Afghanistan, railway and road projects.

Hakimi meets Nawaz

Later, Hakimi met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House where they discussed issues pertaining to bilateral relations, particularly trade.

Islamabad to ask Kabul to end anti-Pakistan propaganda

Nawaz, while expressing satisfaction at the resumption of incomplete projects in Afghanistan, reiterated the commitment to increase bilateral trade volume to $5 billion by 2018. He added that Islamabad would extend all possible support to Kabul to accomplish tasks in infrastructure and energy sectors.

Hakimi said early realisation of development and power projects would prove to be a win-win situation for the region. He added that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani shares the PM’s vision of economic development in the region. through regional connectivity.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2015.

 

[wiseone2]

Islamabad refuses Kabul trucks access to Delhi
By Shahbaz Rana
Published: November 24, 2015
9SHARES
SHARE TWEET
Afghanistan declines Pakistan’s request for access to Tajik border. FILE PHOTO

ISLAMABAD:
The mutual distrust that characterises Pak-Afghan relations cast its shadow on trade talks between the two countries on Monday as Islamabad refused to acquiesce to Kabul’s demands of allowing it throughway to New Delhi via the Wagah border.

During the tenth session of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) in Islamabad, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his Afghan counterpart Eklil Ahmad Hakimi could only agree on a new framework to complete already agreed upon bilateral economic goals without achieving a breakthrough on border access.

Afghan peace process: Kabul wants Islamabad ‘give up Taliban support’

Officials in the Economic Affairs Division said Kabul had sought access to New Delhi for its trucks via the Wagah-Attari border crossing. But Islamabad, citing security issues, denied the request. In response, Afghanistan declined Pakistan’s request for access to the Tajikistan border.

Pakistan also declined Afghanistan’s requests to allow its trucks to load cargo as they returned from Wagah to Kabul. Under the current regulations, Afghan trucks transporting goods can only drop off their cargo at Wagah and return empty to Torkham.

“We want access to South Asia and Pakistan wants access to Central Asia and we discussed how to gradually remove the bottlenecks [to achieve this shared vision],” Hakimi said as he and Dar addressed a news conference after the meeting.

Hakimi complained that there were gaps in the implementation of the 48-point agenda agreed between Afghanistan and Pakistan when President Ashraf Ghani visited Islamabad.

The news conference had been delayed by an hour after the Afghan side reportedly raised last-minute objections over the language of a joint statement. This had followed from troubles over holding the JEC which had been postponed once and its duration was cut down from two days to one.

The Afghan finance minister added that giving each other access to their respective neighbouring countries was ‘an important matter’.

Dar also acknowledged this common objective, but noted that security issues had slowed progress on implementation of certain elements. “The security issue will remain a top priority for our agenda.”

The finance minister went on to reiterate Pakistan’s support for Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process to improve the security situation in the region as he vowed to take forward the economic agenda of cooperation between the two countries.

However, the meeting was not a complete loss, as they discussed a project of Pakistan importing 2,000 megawatts of electricity from Turkmenistan via Afghanistan. A road project for expanding the western route under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which would see Gwadar connect to Herat via Khuzdar.

Dar said a road project for regional connectivity, which is proposed from Herat to Khuzdar and Gawadar was also discussed. The project, if implemented, would expand the western route under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.

In this regard, Dar said both sides had agreed to establish various Joint Working Groups (JWGs) on energy, trade, commerce, development projects executed in Afghanistan, railway and road projects.

Hakimi meets Nawaz

Later, Hakimi met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House where they discussed issues pertaining to bilateral relations, particularly trade.

Islamabad to ask Kabul to end anti-Pakistan propaganda

Nawaz, while expressing satisfaction at the resumption of incomplete projects in Afghanistan, reiterated the commitment to increase bilateral trade volume to $5 billion by 2018. He added that Islamabad would extend all possible support to Kabul to accomplish tasks in infrastructure and energy sectors.

Hakimi said early realisation of development and power projects would prove to be a win-win situation for the region. He added that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani shares the PM’s vision of economic development in the region. through regional connectivity.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2015.

afghanistan needs to open up routes through Iran

 

[xyxmt]

afghanistan needs to open up routes through Iran

or they have access thru Karachi, they are not restricted by Pakistan to where they send their export thru Karachi

 

[Ice Cube]

we get dry fruits from Afghanistan to India through Pakistan, wtf man

 

[war&peace]

A very welcome development. Until India stops operating terror networks in Afghanistan and providing safe havens to TTP terrorists, no access should be given to any trade or transit.

 

[Muhammad Omar]

Use Chabahar Afghans...

Good Job Islamabad

 

[Sabawoon_Noorzai]

"Nawaz, while expressing satisfaction at the resumption of incomplete projects in Afghanistan, reiterated the commitment to increase bilateral trade volume to $5 billion by 2018."

This would seem quixotic given both countries are pursuing policies which only undermine the level of trade to reach this big figure. Furthermore, Afghanistan mindful of over-reliance on Pakistan, the dragging economy and unsustainable level of consumption are among the factors which makes the trade volume reaching this figure all unrealistic. So the only way to achieve this would be a complete unfettered trade between central and south Asia. If this was to happen then trade potential between central and south asia could reach anything up to/more than £10 bln within a decade and the region could transform itself from within and we are talking about this amount multiplying. There is an increasing shift toward regionalism in the world economy and the key to this region's future well-being and prosperity, which has tremendous potential lies in regional integration. Securitization over intelligent policies for growth and development through regional economic initiatives is criminal in this day and age which our region suffers from. I guess the key to this first and foremost rests with Afghanistan and Pakistan and of course India too.

 

[Jaam92]

Well done Army

 

[Sabawoon_Noorzai]

To be honest Afghanistan shouldn't give a shit in its bilateral trade relationship with Pakistan or as some Pakistanis put it 'close the Karachi port' or 'stop trade with Afghanistan'. Whilst Afghanistan can of course easily divert its transit trade through Iran, it can substitute its essential imports from other countries. If it was up to me I would significantly cut on the imports in order to bring in some semblance of internal and external balance in to the economy. The current rate and level of imported consumption, domestic demand and output, as well as balance of payment etc. is simply unsustainable for a country that kept afloat by billions of dollars in foreign aid. So any trade interruption (which will be mainly Pakistan exports however) would be a boon than a curse insofar helping Afghanistan to become self-reliant and balance its economy. Perhaps if the government has any logical economic agenda this should be a proactive policy as a matter of fact. Afghanistan wouldn't be at loss.

Beside, whilst there appears to be nice-talking from **** and Afghan officials, both sides are going about pursuing their own agendas. Afghanistan only signed agreements with Kazakhstan for importing wheat and steel from the later, this would significantly effect trade with Pakistan.

Afghan delegation were not stupid demanding from Pakistanis access to India, which of course they must know Pakistan would not. Here Pakistan is denied access to Central Asia. Pakistan seems to be at clear loss.

 

[war&peace]

To be honest Afghanistan shouldn't give a shit in its bilateral trade relationship with Pakistan or as some Pakistanis put it 'close the Karachi port' or 'stop trade with Afghanistan'. Whilst Afghanistan can of course easily divert its transit trade through Iran, it can substitute its essential imports from other countries. If it was up to me I would significantly cut on the imports in order to bring in some semblance of internal and external balance in to the economy. At the current rate and level of imported consumption, domestic demand and output, as balance of payment etc. is simply unsustainable for a country that kept afloat by billions of dollars in foreign aid. So any trade interruption (which will be mainly Pakistan exports however) would be a boon than a curse insofar helping it to become as much as self-reliant as it can. Afghanistan isn't at the loss.

Beside, whilst there appears to be nice-talking from **** and Afghan officials, both sides are going about pursuing their own agendas. Afghanistan only signed agreements with Kazakhstan for importing wheat and steel from the later, this would significantly effect trade with Pakistan.

Afghan delegation were not stupid demanding from Pakistanis access to India, which of course they must know Pakistan would not. Here Pakistan is denied access to Central Asia. Pakistan seems to be at clear loss.

Then you should be happy with Pakistan's effort to help Afghanistan save on imports

 

[Sabawoon_Noorzai]

Then you should be happy with Pakistan's effort to help Afghanistan save on imports

If that is the case then yes, sure.

 

[tsinga]

Kind of makes sense.

Since Pakistan denied Afghanistan direct access to India, Afghanistan denied Pakistan direct access to Central Asia.

 

[wiseone2]

or they have access thru Karachi, they are not restricted by Pakistan to where they send their export thru Karachi

if you want to sell your wares in Delhi the overland route is the cheapest option
it is not economical to send things to Karachi and ship it to Indian port where it is downloaded and sent to Delhi

To be honest Afghanistan shouldn't give a shit in its bilateral trade relationship with Pakistan or as some Pakistanis put it 'close the Karachi port' or 'stop trade with Afghanistan'. Whilst Afghanistan can of course easily divert its transit trade through Iran, it can substitute its essential imports from other countries. If it was up to me I would significantly cut on the imports in order to bring in some semblance of internal and external balance in to the economy. The current rate and level of imported consumption, domestic demand and output, as well as balance of payment etc. is simply unsustainable for a country that kept afloat by billions of dollars in foreign aid. So any trade interruption (which will be mainly Pakistan exports however) would be a boon than a curse insofar helping Afghanistan to become self-reliant and balance its economy. Perhaps if the government has any logical economic agenda this should be a proactive policy as a matter of fact. Afghanistan wouldn't be at loss.

Beside, whilst there appears to be nice-talking from **** and Afghan officials, both sides are going about pursuing their own agendas. Afghanistan only signed agreements with Kazakhstan for importing wheat and steel from the later, this would significantly effect trade with Pakistan.

Afghan delegation were not stupid demanding from Pakistanis access to India, which of course they must know Pakistan would not. Here Pakistan is denied access to Central Asia. Pakistan seems to be at clear loss.

Pakistan is a better partner than Iran. Otherwise Afghanistan would have turned to Iran

 

[Sabawoon_Noorzai]

if you want to sell your wares in Delhi the overland route is the cheapest option
it is not economical to send things to Karachi and ship it to Indian port where it is downloaded and sent to Delhi



Pakistan is a better partner than Iran. Otherwise Afghanistan would have turned to Iran

You took your guess there fella. ;-)

Iran a little, just very little expensive, and some other factors which will all change I believe.

 

[xyxmt]

if you want to sell your wares in Delhi the overland route is the cheapest option
it is not economical to send things to Karachi and ship it to Indian port where it is downloaded and sent to Delhi



Pakistan is a better partner than Iran. Otherwise Afghanistan would have turned to Iran

Pakistan has been a better partner for 50 years and got stabbed by them over and over, Pakistan doesnt give 2 bit shit about Afghanistan anymore