SAARC chamber hails Pakistan-Afghan trade accord extension
SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Friday hailing Pak-Afghan transit trade accord extension for another six months said it was essential to facilitate uninterrupted flow of transit trade between the two brotherly neighboring Muslim countries.
Talking to a delegation of importers and exporters led by Muslim Khan Banowari from KPK SAARC Chamber chief Iftikhar Ali Malik that the decision to extend the agreement was mainly aimed at preventing any disruption in trade and transit affairs between the both countries whereas it would help buy time to further discuss and finalize the proposed amendments in the agreement.
He said Pakistan's clear vision for trade and economic relations with Afghanistan and central Asian republics (CAR) was to make Pakistan a hub for trade, transit and shipment.
He further explained that Pakistan trade was based on the secure, open, consistent,reliable and finally legal movement of goods at Afghan boarders along with enhanced connectivity with Afghanistan and CARs, he added.
Iftikhar Ali Malik said it's good omen that both sides expressed satisfaction with the another extension of the agreement and decided that technical teams of either countries would conclude the accord soon.
He said that over the last extension a total of 83,2819 containers of Afghan transit trade carrying goods valued $33billion had passed through Pakistan which totaled 30 percent of Afghan transit trade remaining crossed through Iran,Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Pakistan always attached great importance to Afghanistan and played key role for durable peace in the region. He said SAARC chamber had established a special cell to facilitate the Afghan traders, importers ,exporters and private sector to boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
In order to address the challenges of malnutrition, the government has installed over 2,333 micro feeders, besides initiated Food Fortification Program for wheat flour, edible oil and salt to ensure intake of sufficient intake of balanced food.
Under Food
Fortification Program for wheat, flour, edible oil and salt over 1,006 mills were provided essential facilitation and requirements, which were supplementing the government's efforts to overcome issues related to malnutrition for achieving sustainable development goals, said an official in the Ministry of National Food Security and research.
Besides, the provinces have been provided with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) spectrophotometers and rapid test kits for internal quality assurance, he said adding that around 136 edible oil mills are covered for Vitamin A and D fortification.
Almost 1,100 small scale processors are supplied KIO3 and rapid test kits for quality assurance with the help of nutrition development partners, he added.
The government, he said assigned high priority to address the challenge of malnutrition, adding that to oversee progress of improving nutritional outcomes, a high level multi-sectoral nutrition governance structures like Pakistan National Nutrition Coordination Council (PNNCC) and National Nutrition Forum (NNF) was constituted.