Extension of the quarterly protocol of the APTTA Agreement

April 1, 2021

The quarterly protocol of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Agreement (APTTA) was signed in an online meeting between H.E Nisar Ahmad Ghoryani Minister of Industry and Commerce of the IR of Afghanistan, and Abdul Razak Dawood Advisor for Commerce, Textile, Industry, and Production, and Investment of Pakistan.

H.E Ghoryani said, the extension of this agreement is applicable for three months (February 11 to May 11, 2021) and will be signed to avoid legal gaps and transit-trade challenges between the two countries.

Mr. Ghoryani added, Let me thank the leadership of each government for the growth of trade and transit, especially the wise guidance of His Excellency the President of the IR of Afghanistan on regional connectivity and the positive view of Mr. Imran Khan Prime Minister of the IR of Pakistan.

Expressing appreciation for the technical groups of the two countries, the Minister of Industry and Commerce said, work is underway to amend the APTTA Agreement following the principles and criteria of the WTO between the two countries.

Speaking online, Mr. Razak Dawood, Pakistan's senior economic and investment adviser, welcomed the extension of the quarterly protocol APTTA, saying his country's top officials wanted to expand economic and transit-trade relations between the two countries.

At the signing ceremony of the three-month extension of the agreement, Mr. Ahmad Javid Jaihoon, First Deputy of Parliament, representatives of the Office of the Special Representative of the President for Pakistan affairs, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Legal Unit of the President and representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation the private sector was present.

On the other side, Mr. Javid Jaihoon, FD of Parliament and Private Sector welcomed the quarterly extension of the APTTA Agreement and said, the development of economic and trade-transit relations between the two countries is in the interest of the people of Afghanistan-Pakistan.