No agreement over transit trade with Afghanistan yet: Pak Commerce Ministry

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry has rejected media reports regarding the country signing a trade agreement with Afghanistan.

A statement issued by the ministry said that reports regarding the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) being signed were ‘baseless’ and contrary to the facts.

“Some of these reports are not based on facts and are causing unnecessary confusion and misgivings in the mind of the public. The Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement has not been signed between the two countries yet,” The Daily Times quoted the statement, as saying.

“The Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement would be drafted in due course and signed by both sides after completing the respective procedural and legal formalities,” it added.

It may be noted that reports in the Pakistani media had flashed Federal Minister for Trade Makhdoom Amin Fahim’s quotes that Islamabad has signed a deal with Afghanistan under which goods from Afghanistan would be transported to India via Pakistan, but there was no option of a vice-versa movement.

Fahim was also quoted as saying that talks were underway to strike a similar understanding with India also. (ANI)