Nooruddin Azizi, acting minister of industry and commerce, during his visit to Pakistan, held discussions with Pakistani officials on extending the APTTA agreement, improving transit facilities, and exporting Afghan coal to Pakistan.

During the visit, the delegation of the Islamic Emirate also emphasized 24/7 operation of the Torkham crossing, expanding bilateral trade via the Ghulam Khan crossing, and forming a joint committee to strengthen trade relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said: “In this meeting, constructive proposals were presented to strengthen trade relations between the two countries, particularly the proposal by Pakistan to establish a joint committee and hold regular meetings to review and resolve commercial issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The topic of Afghan migrants was also discussed.”

The Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock considered this visit a positive step toward addressing commercial challenges between the two nations.

Mirwais Hajizadah, deputy of the chamber, said: “I suggest that the Minister of Industry and Commerce sign a formal agreement or memorandum that would remain valid for two or three years upon return to Afghanistan. This would give traders the confidence they need to boost their exports.”

Trader Omid Haidari stated: “This move can significantly reduce our challenges. The exchange of trade delegations can help minimize issues we faced in the past year and act as a solid barrier against future challenges, allowing us to build closer trade relations.”

The Islamic Emirate delegation’s trip to Pakistan comes amid a backdrop of multiple trade tensions in the past year — including a two-percent tariff imposed on Afghan transit goods and the closure of key crossings, which, according to business chambers, have had a significant negative impact on trade and transit between the two countries.