PESHAWAR:Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has underscored the need of bringing relaxation in visa policy, besides taking pragmatic steps to quell factors that were creating hurdles in smooth issuance of visa to the business community so that bilateral trade between Pakistan-Afghanistan should boost upto optimal level.
Shahid Hussain, senior vice president of the SCCI in a press statement issued here on Wednesday underscored the need of focusing on bringing relaxation and improvement in visa issuance to Afghans and traders.
It is imperative to ensure issuance of visas to citizens and trader communities of both countries without any hurdle, the SCCI senior office bearer stressed.
Giving reference of a recent survey report, Hussain said Pak-Afghan bilateral trade volume that stood at $2.5 billion in 2012 had been dropped by $6 million in 2022, which is highly worrisome and a matter of grave concern.
It is reportedly that allegedly $1000 illegally is being charged on issuance of visa to Afghans and traders, citing that some local and foreign elements and factors are allegedly involved in this illegal practice, the SCCI SVP elaborated.
Keeping in view the current fragile security situation in war-ravaged Afghanistan, the SCCI SVP noted Pakistani traders could not freely roam for conducting survey, marketing and business purposes in various Afghan cities.
He went on to say that Afghan traders and people could buy and transport themselves if they were provided a visa by relaxing policy.
There is neither issue of language, identification of locations and ways nor required any guidance for roaming to Afghans people in various cities of Pakistan, he added.
However, he said the only thing which is needed for Afghans is a smooth issuance of visa on simplified procedures and a prompt manner.
The SCCI senior office bearer asked to focus on bringing relaxation and improvement of visa issuance to Afghans instead of wasting time in conducting conferences.
Shahid Hussain asserted that collective policies would be proved a catalyst to enhance Pak-Afghan mutual trade and onward trade to Central Asian Republics.
Approximately CARs market is $100 billion, in which Pakistan’s share is completely negligible, Hussain noted. He said Pakistan has also been ignored due to various factors in this regard and citizens/traders of CARs states await for visa facility for two or more months.
The SCCI senior office bearer urged concerned authorities in Pakistan and Afghanistan to take consistent and regular initiatives to facilitate the business community and jack up bilateral trade volume between the two countries.