Afghanistan losing interest in trade links with Pakistan

[Super Falcon]

- I would say lose-lose situation
- Instead of the region utilizing all the routes to do commerce, we are still stuck in da 70s mentality.
- China and India have differences but they still do business.

PS : no trolling here please.

Use some sense afgans are nor India neither China so don't compare what trade u can do a country who is land locked and talk to u like a super power we took their burden alot can't take it more everyone used us pissed us off and ran time to sterve them Afghanistan mentality has to change we have done more than our capability to help them still 5 million Afghanis they are not taking from us look where is our currency and there's and u can only trade poppy with Afghan so better close all routes we opened once routes in Zia era we keep bleeding time to shut off


http://tribune.com.pk/story/1088955...losing-interest-in-trade-links-with-pakistan/

use s

Famous saying of Einstein don't expect different thing come out of chopper machine than meat qeema so we are keep doing same mistake over and over again time to close all types of relations with afghanistan

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

Hopefully Chahbahar port will benefit Indian exporters,currently trade b/w India and Iran is in favour of Iran.



CPEC is an excellent deal for Chinese,they will drive Pakistan to bankruptcy with their high interest loans.

indians have been saying Pakistan is going to go bankrupt since august the 14th 1947. That Pakistan will not exist after december 1947. None of that indian diatribe has come true. If foreigners could see the enormous infrastructure projects already happening because of CPEC, it would be mind blowing. And CPEC has barely got started. If China wants Pakistan to go bankrupt than they would not have helped us become a formidable nuclear weapons state.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Their country - their choice. I dont even know why this made the news.REALISTICALLY though - as a land-locked country their options are as limited as it gets.

- I would say lose-lose situation
- Instead of the region utilizing all the routes to do commerce, we are still stuck in da 70s mentality.
- China and India have differences but they still do business.

PS : no trolling here please.


http://tribune.com.pk/story/1088955...losing-interest-in-trade-links-with-pakistan/

If there's a newfound sense of 'nationalism' in Afghanistan that entails circumventing Pakistan or certain vested interest groups spewing anti-Pakistan hatred and venom - so be it. We are just neighbours and observers.

There's a lot of mistrust in the entire neighbourhood, it's been going on longer than 70s. For vote-bank politics and pandering, you even have people like Karzai who deny the reality of the borders. That - and the fact that anti-Pakistan elements flourish in Afghanistan (and admittedly - anti elections/political process in Afghanistan elements in Pakistan's tribal areas, many of whom we have flushed out) -- it sure doesnt help.

Pakistan and India conduct some low level trade (directly or through 3rd party entities like Dubai) and we are enemy nations. Point well taken though.

I think a conversation is to be had among Afghans themselves.

Education , Medical facilities and Trade&,Commerce are the things which can rebuild Afghanistan.

And India's policy towards Afghan is centred upon them.

Our investments in Iran should give Afghanistan a alternative.

And our government will continue to support education and medicals for afghans in Afghanistan and India too.

Not an iota different from Pakistan or Iran - which ACTUALLY do have stakes in Afghanistan and have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in re-upliftment and infrast. projects in Afghanistan

I wouldnt expect indian media or pro-india elements in Afghanistan to detail Iran or Pakistan's contributions to Afghanistan (especially Pakistan's). Understandable though unacceptable and quite frankly - ignorant (stupid)

 

[A-Team]

Why would you (Kabul) deny me (Pakistan) that? I have been second home to Afghans for decades, I hosted them, their generations have been raised here so why ????????? Let us leave religion out of it, why India is your favorite when all it did is exploit you to harm me, why is it that difficult to understand? Unless you wish me harm too?

You have made a lot of assumption my friend.

- We don't want to harm Pakistan

Their country - their choice. I dont even know why this made the news.REALISTICALLY though - as a land-locked country their options are as limited as it gets.



If there's a newfound sense of 'nationalism' in Afghanistan that entails circumventing Pakistan or certain vested interest groups spewing anti-Pakistan hatred and venom - so be it. We are just neighbours and observers.

There's a lot of mistrust in the entire neighbourhood, it's been going on longer than 70s. For vote-bank politics and pandering, you even have people like Karzai who deny the reality of the borders. That - and the fact that anti-Pakistan elements flourish in Afghanistan (and admittedly - anti elections/political process in Afghanistan elements in Pakistan's tribal areas, many of whom we have flushed out) -- it sure doesnt help.

Pakistan and India conduct some low level trade (directly or through 3rd party entities like Dubai) and we are enemy nations. Point well taken though.

I think a conversation is to be had among Afghans themselves.



Not an iota different from Pakistan or Iran - which ACTUALLY do have stakes in Afghanistan and have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in re-upliftment and infrast. projects in Afghanistan

I wouldnt expect indian media or pro-india elements in Afghanistan to detail Iran or Pakistan's contributions to Afghanistan (especially Pakistan's). Understandable though unacceptable and quite frankly - ignorant (stupid)

Finally a sane voice!

 

[Rajput_Pakistani]

A blessing for Pakistan, it will be...
From Afghan transit trade, Pakistan is just suffering from the cancer of smuggling. Imagine, if we earn $1 billion and loose $5 billion due to smuggling?
Central Asia access: I am hearing this since my childhood. After break-up of Soviet Union, there are always eye-catching scenarios of huge trade and defense prospects. Unluckily, nor central Asia is as stable as it should be nor Afghanistan is. There is also no work done (atleast in my knowledge, if there is, kindly let me know please) by successive Pakistani governments to improve trade ties with these republics. It's been 25 years (a quarter of Century) since these Countries independence. Still there is hardly a billion worth of trade between them and Pakistan.
If one wishes to access these land-locked Countries, the best route is through China (here CPEC comes into picture). Afghanistan, is not going to be stable, anytime soon. Even if (by a miracle), Taliban problem is neutralized, you simply cant fight with tribal society of Afghanistan. Imagine, crossing through Afghanistan, your trade convey, paying every war-lord/tribe on its way. Is that feasible? No, will say every sane person.

Bilateral trade with Afghanistan and Afghan-transit-trade:
I will just give few examples of trade with Afghanistan, ruining our local industries. Afghanistan import so much tires, that even if all of cars and trucks registered in Afghanistan changes their tires daily, it will still be more.

Sounds good, if Pakistan is earning a huge sum of money in transit fee?
Reality is quite bitter. Afghanistan, at the moment is right down in the list of GDP. It's population is the poorest on Earth. So its not a lucrative market. Still Afghanistan imports like 5 lac LCDs. Other electronics and luxury items..
Where are these item going exactly?
Right, these duty free items, registered in Afghan imports mostly are smuggled back into Pakistan.
Agreed, that there are Pakistanis involved too but the bottom line is how to prevent this? Can we study the models of Nepal-India transit or other similar examples of World?

Bilateral trade: Its hardly a billion dollars. Mostly medicine, wheat, live stock etc. These are both legally done and smuggled also. In net, Pakistan is loosing here too. What is the benefit, if Pakistani consumer is paying more for meat or wheat or pulses, because goods are smuggled to Afghanistan?

So what is the bottom line..
The problem of smuggling is going to increase many-fold, when India will start using Chahbahar port to dump cheap items in Afghanistan, which will find its way to Pakistan. The solution is a barbed wire/mining/drones/bunkers/search lights/snipers, anything available at hand to seal this damn border. Return of Afghan refugees.
Use Chinese route to access Central Asian market.
Just isolate Afghanistan, get Pakistan out of this mess. Its the only way for a prosperous and strong Pakistan.

 

[The enlightened]

I wouldnt expect indian media or pro-india elements in Afghanistan to detail Iran or Pakistan's contributions to Afghanistan (especially Pakistan's). Understandable though unacceptable and quite frankly - ignorant (stupid)

And pakistani media sings praises of Salma dam right?


India does have stakes in seeing an AFGHANISTAN that's not a Pakistani lapdog supplying it with hundreds of men to whip up the fire in Kashmir ala the time before 9/11. You may not appreciate that but we must and will do what it takess to protect our country.

 

[fitpOsitive]

- I would say lose-lose situation
- Instead of the region utilizing all the routes to do commerce, we are still stuck in da 70s mentality.
- China and India have differences but they still do business.

PS : no trolling here please.


http://tribune.com.pk/story/1088955...losing-interest-in-trade-links-with-pakistan/

Troll to hoga....zuroor hoga..baraber hoga.

Afghanistan losing interest in trade links with Pakistan
By Peer Muhammad
Published: April 21, 2016
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Afghanistan’s disinterest means that Pakistan has potentially lost a great opportunity to build strategic trade ties with regional economies. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: Afghan authorities appear to have lost interest in pushing forward any trade related agreements with Pakistan with the alternative route via Iran close to being finalised.

Last week, on April 11, Iran, Afghanistan and India finished negotiating the details of the trilateral transport and transit pact, meant to provide legal framework to operate trade corridors via Iran’s Chabahar port.

India-Afghanistan trade through Pakistan

This development could possibly downgrade Pakistan’s importance from being the primary facilitator of India-Afghanistan trade to a mere back-up. This means that Pakistan has potentially lost a great opportunity to build strategic trade ties with regional economies.

Officials in the Ministry of Commerce told The Express Tribune that Afghan authorities were slower in responding to the proposed bilateral and transit trade related matters and it seemed that they were least interested towards Pakistan and would rather devote their time and energy towards materialising the trilateral agreement with Iran and India.

“All this happened because Pakistan refused to include India in the Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement,” noted the official.

Afghanistan insists that India must be part of the transit trade agreement in the same way as Pakistan uses Afghan soil to reach Central Asian states.

Afghanistan, Pakistan open key economic, trade talks

The officer cited a draft agreement pertaining to the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) that the ministry had sent months ago. He insisted that there has been no response from the other side.

“We have learnt that they have shared the draft agreement with their security agencies for clearance, which is surprising for us,” said the official.

Moreover, the maiden meeting of the Pak-Afghan Joint Business Council (JBC) has not been held even after its establishment around five months ago to discuss issues and to devise strategies for enhancing bilateral trade.

The JBC was supposed to hold its first meeting in February 2015, but it could not take place.

Pakistan, Afghanistan to resolve visa, road permit issues

“We have again asked the Pakistan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) to set another date in this regard. However, the ministry has not received any response from FPCCI. The members of the JBC have already been notified from each side.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2016.

Well, at least Pakistan is of some use for Afghanistan. Does India offer same incentives to Bangladesh and Nepal?
Some countries in this region are safe only because of Pakistan(infect all except China). Even Srilanka have near death experience few years ago, thanks to great India.

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

A blessing for Pakistan, it will be...
From Afghan transit trade, Pakistan is just suffering from the cancer of smuggling. Imagine, if we earn $1 billion and loose $5 billion due to smuggling?
Central Asia access: I am hearing this since my childhood. After break-up of Soviet Union, there are always eye-catching scenarios of huge trade and defense prospects. Unluckily, nor central Asia is as stable as it should be nor Afghanistan is. There is also no work done (atleast in my knowledge, if there is, kindly let me know please) by successive Pakistani governments to improve trade ties with these republics. It's been 25 years (a quarter of Century) since these Countries independence. Still there is hardly a billion worth of trade between them and Pakistan.
If one wishes to access these land-locked Countries, the best route is through China (here CPEC comes into picture). Afghanistan, is not going to be stable, anytime soon. Even if (by a miracle), Taliban problem is neutralized, you simply cant fight with tribal society of Afghanistan. Imagine, crossing through Afghanistan, your trade convey, paying every war-lord/tribe on its way. Is that feasible? No, will say every sane person.

Bilateral trade with Afghanistan and Afghan-transit-trade:
I will just give few examples of trade with Afghanistan, ruining our local industries. Afghanistan import so much tires, that even if all of cars and trucks registered in Afghanistan changes their tires daily, it will still be more.

Sounds good, if Pakistan is earning a huge sum of money in transit fee?
Reality is quite bitter. Afghanistan, at the moment is right down in the list of GDP. It's population is the poorest on Earth. So its not a lucrative market. Still Afghanistan imports like 5 lac LCDs. Other electronics and luxury items..
Where are these item going exactly?
Right, these duty free items, registered in Afghan imports mostly are smuggled back into Pakistan.
Agreed, that there are Pakistanis involved too but the bottom line is how to prevent this? Can we study the models of Nepal-India transit or other similar examples of World?

Bilateral trade: Its hardly a billion dollars. Mostly medicine, wheat, live stock etc. These are both legally done and smuggled also. In net, Pakistan is loosing here too. What is the benefit, if Pakistani consumer is paying more for meat or wheat or pulses, because goods are smuggled to Afghanistan?

So what is the bottom line..
The problem of smuggling is going to increase many-fold, when India will start using Chahbahar port to dump cheap items in Afghanistan, which will find its way to Pakistan. The solution is a barbed wire/mining/drones/bunkers/search lights/snipers, anything available at hand to seal this damn border. Return of Afghan refugees.
Use Chinese route to access Central Asian market.
Just isolate Afghanistan, get Pakistan out of this mess. Its the only way for a prosperous and strong Pakistan.

LCDs are for listening to coldplay and Taylor Swift. Far more important than nation building or hard work.

 

[Jaanbaz]

well i think Afghans are and will remain close to India as long as the money is flowing in and non majorities remain in power in Kabul that means one Pushtoon encircled by Farsiwans is bad for Pakistan ... 2ndly Indians and Afghans see the history from the time when Taliban came in to power whereas it starts from way before that. 1st of all Afghans and Indians never accepted Pakistan as a country in their hearts and minds. They dreamed and believed to destroy and occupy Pakistani territories and still the situation is same. Pakistan have played soo much positive roles in uniting Afghans but the Afghan politics is heavily divided on ethnic & sectarian lines. But I think the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan should evolve put their modern history in behind and concentrate to build strong relations. its natural and the need of an hour for both countries to have good and strong relations either united or as two brother neighbours but relations with india is unnatural at the moment ... simple its not trolling this is my take on the issue ..

There is more chance of everlasting peace with India then with Afghans, most Afghan nationalist call Pakistanis as Hindu converts, daal khors, slaves. They have the historical butthurt, after ruling most of modern day Pakistan, they can't believe that those same daal khors and slaves today have one of the largest army in the world/nuclear weapons and the ''superior'' Afghans are still using donkeys as mode of transport.

 

[mikkix]

Pakistan is not doing by not allowing Afghanis to trade which Seems like a very short vision.
Those who wants animosity with afghanistan are indirectly helping anti regional forces and provides india a great chance to squezze Pakistan like a sandwich.
After watching Pakistan steps i am afraid ghazwa hind will nothing but ghazwa Pakistan by afghanistan and india.

There is more chance of everlasting peace with India then with Afghans, most Afghan nationalist call Pakistanis as Hindu converts, daal khors, slaves. They have the historical butthurt, after ruling most of modern day Pakistan, they can't believe that those same daal khors and slaves today have one of the largest army in the world/nuclear weapons and the ''superior'' Afghans are still using donkeys as mode of transport.

Only punjabis and partly sindhis are hindu converts. Pukhtoons were never hindu converts and baloch are mostly arabs and partly persian descendents.
If afghanis really hates us because of dal khors and others then by your definition they must hate india much more than that because they were the original discoverers of it and offcourse most famous DELHI is in india which previous afghans were very passionate to conquer it and succeeded too.
Pakistan is a mixture of arabs persians and hindu cultures and we should be proud of it. It is our culture that can makes us superiors because we are the central hub of indo aryan, indo iranian and arabic traditions so why not make Pakistan a CENTRAL figure or centre of alliance between Iran India and Arabs just like brussels. But pakistan lacks long term vision and its goals of how to achieve it.

 

[GoldenRatio1618]

govt should improve business and investment opportunities by setting up free zones at Pak Afghan corridor then Afghani traders will use this route instead of going to Iran. And to compete with indian products govt should facilitate the traders and businessman by giving concession on taxes then no more demand will come for indian products as businessman accross the countries they see opportunities where from they got they go there and avail that opportunity same in this way Pakistani Businessman can penetrate more in Gulf countries as it now Pakistani business has less share as compared to indian and indians have also more cost of shipping and exporting than Pakistani traders and here is big opportunity need to cash it and for that we need good cargo service, better ports and motorways and free economic zones and efficient energy and good marketing strategy

 

[wiseone2]

- I would say lose-lose situation
- Instead of the region utilizing all the routes to do commerce, we are still stuck in da 70s mentality.
- China and India have differences but they still do business.

PS : no trolling here please.


http://tribune.com.pk/story/1088955...losing-interest-in-trade-links-with-pakistan/

I just wish Pakistanis wake up to reality and allow Afghans/Indian trade

This is excellent news!!....From a Pakistani POV we don't need anything from Afghanistan or india. All Pakistan needs is for CPEC to do well and act as a catalyst to kick start ALL parts of the Pakistan economy. That should be our only focus. Small economic crumbs from nations that are our enemies are completely irrelevent and non-beneficial to us. Let all Pakistanis here be honest and avoid being PC. Apart from our relationship with China, all other nation's relationships with Pakistan are meaningless and non beneficial to Pakistan. We gain nothing from other countries other than China. Aghanistan, india and america in particular are bad news for Pakistan. Ultimately I hope Pakistan cuts off ALL links at ALL levels with both india and Afghanistan. Ultimately we gain nothing from them and they both are enemies.

30 years ago you were a friend of America. You do not know who will be your friends 30 years from now.

You are friends with China due to shared dislike of India. You have nothing in common with the Chinese - language, religion, race, outlook and diet

Hate to tell you, most in Pakistan hold zero to none sympathy for Afghans, so you are, then write you're (the word your is correct as a possessive form, e.g.: Let's go to your house).">your old failed argument (let's keep taking it up the wazoo because of Muslim brotherhood or Ummah is dead). Don't believe me, ask the guys on forum most wants Afghans deported and borders sealed.
Sorry buddy, Pakistan foreign policy should be in favor of Pakistan. Trade with Afghanistan cost us billions in lost revenues not to mention heroin and weapons.
People in Pakistan are connected to Afghanistan, so, people in Pakistan are also ethnically connected to India, What's your Point?

You had a lot of sympathy in the 1980s to wage a war for them against the Soviets. Is this a case of not getting paid ??

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

Pakistan is not doing by not allowing Afghanis to trade which Seems like a very short vision.
Those who wants animosity with afghanistan are indirectly helping anti regional forces and provides india a great chance to squezze Pakistan like a sandwich.
After watching Pakistan steps i am afraid ghazwa hind will nothing but ghazwa Pakistan by afghanistan and india.


Only punjabis and partly sindhis are hindu converts. Pukhtoons were never hindu converts and baloch are mostly arabs and partly persian descendents.
Pakistan is a mixture of arabs persians and hindu cultures and we should be proud of it.

I just wish Pakistanis wake up to reality and allow Afghans/Indian trade



30 years ago you were a friend of America. You do not know who will be your friends 30 years from now.

You are friends with China due to shared dislike of India. You have nothing in common with the Chinese - language, religion, race, outlook and diet



You had a lot of sympathy in the 1980s to wage a war for them against the Soviets. Is this a case of not getting paid ??

50 years ago Pakistan was friends with China. We still are. What China has done for Pakistan no other nation has done for another nation. For that, us Pakistanis will never forget this and we will ALWAYS be bonded with China despite our differences. An indian can never understand this. Pakiatan was never ever really friends with america. We were made to do business with it because it is the biggest power on earth and wanted something from us. It was always just business with them. americans and Pakistanis always disliked eachother deep down. That is totally different with China. No matter what, 1 thing is for certain. Pakistan can never ever be friends with india at all. That will never change.

 

[RoadRunner401]

You had a lot of sympathy in the 1980s to wage a war for them against the Soviets. Is this a case of not getting paid ??

Since your level of intelligence is limited in every possible way, best way to respond to you is for me come down to your level

You had a lot of sympathy in the 1970s for Bangladesh to wage a war for them against the Pakistan. And now you build a fence around IND/BANG border, to keep them out, Is this a case of not getting paid??

Now crawl back under the rock you call home.

 

[wiseone2]

Since your level of intelligence is limited in every possible way, best way to respond to you is for me come down to your level

You had a lot of sympathy in the 1970s for Bangladesh to wage a war for them against the Pakistan. And now you build a fence around IND/BANG border, to keep them out, Is this a case of not getting paid??

Now crawl back under the rock you call home.

The end game was to prevent Bangladeshi economic refugees from entering India in both cases