Pakistan told to open Wagah land transit for Afghanistan - India trade

The Dollar Business Bureau As India asserted its commitment for an increased cooperation with Afghanistan, the latter also seems to be making moves in a similar direction to enhance trade with India. This became evident in a recent move by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, who asked Pakistan to open up ways for Afghanistan imports from India. The Afghan president was said to have cautioned Pakistan saying, “If Pakistan does not open up the Wagah land transit for Afghan imports from India, Afghanistan could take counter measures.” Signalling that Afghanistan was upset with Pakistan’s moves, the president was quoted to have said in a report, “We will not provide equal transit access to Central Asia (for Pakistani trucks).” During his recent visit to India, the Afghan president had asked Pakistan to accept the national treaty under the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit and Trade Agreement (APTTA) signed in 2011. The Indian Prime Minister has also expressed interest to enter into a trade agreement with Afghanistan, saying, “India is keen on a trade agreement (with Afghanistan) that could include India into the APTTA,” while informing that India was ready to welcome Afghan trucks at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) Attari. The APTTA agreement, apart from facilitating the cross-border trade, will also re-establish one of the oldest trading routes of South Asia, the Indian PM said. The prime minister had also opined that Afghanistan's direct surface link to India and the rest of South Asia could turn Afghanistan into a hub that connects Asia's diverse regions and beyond. The APTTA has come under renegotiations many times earlier. The last negotiation on the agreement took place in 2010. This treaty allows Afghanistan to access dry port of Lahore and also gives access to a land route to export goods to India. However, the treaty does not allow India to use the land route to export goods to Afghanistan. With India and Afghanistan standing in a similar direction towards APTTA, the alliance could yield better results for India-Afghan trade if it gets acceptance and support from Pakistan.    

May 2,  2015 | 5:34 pm IST.