DUSHANBE, April 10, 2014, Asia-Plus – State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Pakistan were a major topic of a meeting of Tajik Ambassador to Pakistan Sherali Jononov with Khuarram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan that took place in Islamabad on April 8.

According to the Tajik Embassy in Islamabad, the sides exchanged views on holding of industrial exhibitions, organization of visits of representatives of business communities of the two countries and participation of Pakistani companies in implementation of investment projects in Tajikistan.

They reportedly expressed readiness of their countries for the finalization of a trilateral trade and transit pact between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

We will recall that Afghanistan and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Afghan-Pak trade transit agreement (APTTA) in July 2010.  The two nations also signed a MoU for construction of rail tracks in Afghanistan to connect with Pakistan Railways.  Afghanistan and Pakistan signed the landmark APTTA agreement in October 2010.

The APTTA allows Afghan trucks to drive inside Pakistan to the Waqah border with India, including to the port cities of Karachi and Gwadar.  In November 2010, the two states formed a joint chamber of commerce.  The APTTA agreement has taken effect after several Afghan trucks delivered fruits from Afghanistan to the Waqah border with India in June 2011.  With the completion of the APTTA, the United States and other NATO states are planning to revive the ancient Silk Road.  This is to help the local economies of Afghanistan and Pakistan by connecting South Asia with Central Asia and the Middle East.

In July 2012, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to extend APTTA to Tajikistan in what will be the first step for the establishment of a North-South trade corridor.  The proposed agreement will provide facilities to Tajikistan to use Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi ports for its imports and exports while Pakistan will enjoy trade with Tajikistan under terms similar to the transit arrangement with Afghanistan.