The Pakistani embassy in Kabul said that the two countries have also decided to facilitate issuance of visas, make border crossing points more efficient to ensure early clearance of trade and transit traffic, and address the bottlenecks and impediments on priority basis.
The embassy said that all possible efforts are being made to start a passenger bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad, and Quetta and Kandahar by the end of next month.
The two countries agreed to implement a Temporary Admission Document (TAD), allowing free movement of bilateral trade vehicles and preventing loading and unloading of goods at the border crossing points, besides increasing operational timings at all crossing points, particularly Torkham, Kharlachi (Kurram tribal district), Ghulam Khan (North Waziristan) and Chaman/Spin Boldak.
The embassy further said that during the current financial year, bilateral trade and transit has registered growth, adding that this momentum needs to be sustained and further strengthened on a mutually beneficial basis.
The volume of total trade between the two countries in 2021-22 was $1.55 billion. Afghan exports were $834 million, while Pakistan’s exports stood at around $750 million.