Summary A joint declaration was signed by Pak-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) -- Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Monday that Pakistan and Afghanistan will have to work single-mindedly and with concentration to meet the five billion dollars trade volume target till 2017. He was addressing the meeting of Pak-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission in Islamabad where a joint declaration was signed, reported Dunya News.
Finance ministers of both countries held a press conference after the meeting. Ishaq Dar said for trade facilitation, Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and consultant NESPAK have been mobilized at Torkham-Jalalabad additional carriageway and hoped that the project will be completed by December next year. Afghan finance minister Eklil Ahmad Hakimi said that the hurdles in the completion of projects will be removed with efforts from the both sides.
Also read: Traders agreed on implementation of withholding tax: Ishaq Dar
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has on Friday said that the traders have agreed on the implementation of withholding tax. Although there was no breakthrough in the talks between the government and traders today, Dar says that the tax should stay and the traders’ leader Ajmal Baloch says that the traders and the government are close to agreement, reported Dunya News.
Talks between trader and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials were held in Islamabad today. All Pakistan Traders Association (Khalid Pervez group) left the talks since no breakthrough was coming off. The talks were later joined by Ishaq Dar as well.
Talking to media after extensive discussions, Ishaq Dar said that the government is serious about this subject and there was progress in the talks. He said that there will be more talks on Wednesday.
Talking on this occasion, Ajmal Baloch said that a decision on withholding tax is near and all outstanding issues were discussed. He said that the government assured of addressing traders’ issues. He said that the traders will be given the good news on Wednesday.
Holding another press conference, All Pakistan Traders Association, Khalid Pervez said that he rejected the withholding tax completely, being the true representative of the traders. He said that he met Ishaq Dar upon the request of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif but the government tried to strike a bargain with them. He said that since Ishaq Dar has decided not to withdraw the withholding tax, there will be no changes in the traders’ position.
Khalid Pervez was accompanied on this occasion by All Pakistan Traders Association Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan representatives as well. The traders’ leaders said that the future strategy will be announced on 14 October after Quetta meeting.
