Pakistan reportedly has decided to resume exports of its products to Afghanistan after nearly two months, according to a notification letter seen by TOLOnews. However, Pakistan is not currently agreeing to accept exports from Afghanistan into Pakistan.
Afghan businessmen have said that the export of vegetables, fruits and foodstuffs from Pakistan to Afghanistan will help to control price hikes in the local markets in the country.
According to the Afghan business community, Pakistan will resume its exports to Afghanistan on Monday.
Based on the notification letter, Pakistan will open Chaman and Torkham crossings for five days a week.
“This process has not returned to a normal so far– in the past over 1,000 containers were coming to Afghanistan from Pakistan, but only 300 containers have come to Afghanistan,” said Amin Babak, the head of the media department of the Afghanistan Chamber of Mines and Investment.
“Currently, Afghan exports to Pakistan are not permitted, but work is underway to get the process back on track on a gradual basis to ensure that Afghan exports to Pakistan are also resumed in the future,” said Naqibullah Safi, the CEO of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.
“Currently, tomatoes are sold for 70 Afs in Afghan markets, which is 140 Pakistani rupees. We call on the Afghan and Pakistani leaders to come to an agreement so that the people of both countries can benefit from low prices of products,” said an Afghan businessman Mirwais Hajizada.
Pakistan initially closed its borders with Afghanistan two months ago, resulting in the stranding of 15,000 trucks belonging to Afghan traders on Pakistani soil.
