By Chathushka Perera
Kabul, Afghanistan (CWBN)_ Subsequent to a conference, dubbed the Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Forum 2020, which commenced on Monday (26th October) in Islamabad, an agreement to bolster bilateral economic ties was signed off on, having met with consensus with regard to 16 of 21 trade and transit issues, on Tuesday.
The Afghan delegation to Pakistan was led by Speaker of the House of the People, Mir Rahman Rahmani, upon the invitation of the Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly, Asad Qaisar, the parties signed off on an agreement to bolster economic ties. USAID, based in Pakistan, had also extended its support to the Pakistani National Assembly’s initiative for regional connectivity and integration.
The agreement, authorised by Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, enables the formation of twelve markets along the Pakistan-Afghan border and six markets along the Pakistan-Iran border. The markets are expected to be implemented by February 2021.
Moreover, in an effort to reduce cargo clearance time, cooperation against cross border smuggling and also regulate tariffs, a 28- article protocol was also established under the agreement, enabling government authorities to share information via electronic channels.
Pakistan-China Economic Corridor
In its bid to secure Chinese interests in the region, particularly with regard to the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor, in a recent speech Chinese President, Xi Jinping, stressed the core of “benevolence and the value of good neighbourliness” of the peace loving Chinese people, who understand the gravity of war and conflict, and that China looks forward to peacefully work together with other peoples in “win-win cooperation”.
Jinping also added that China will not abide an infringement of its sovereignty, national security or development interests.
The Economic Corridor enables Chinese trade and other interests to bypass the contentious South China Sea and a majority of the Indian Ocean, in order to conveniently reach west toward markets in Europe, North and South America and Africa, in a time where China and Pakistan, together, have taken critical bids against India, in the Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh region, disrupting regional peace.
