ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sunday agreed that no Indian export to Afghanistan would be allowed through the Wagah border but Afghanistan would have the opportunity to export to India and reciprocally Pakistan would be able to export its goods to Central Asia through Afghanistan.

The broad-based record note was signed on Sunday evening at the Prime Minister’s House in the presence of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, here on Sunday.

The note, signed by Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Afghan Minister for Commerce and Industries Dr Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady, mentioned that the Afghan trucks would be allowed to carry the Afghan Transit Export Cargo on designated routes to Pakistani seaports and Wagah.

The record note states, “Pakistan and Afghanistan hope that resolution of all outstanding matters relating to the finalisation of Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement would help in the early signing of the agreement, after completion of legal processes from both the sides.”

The Afghan transport units, on return, shall be permitted to carry goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan under the same expeditious procedures and conditions as Pakistani transport units would carry.

It was also decided that all Afghan transit goods would be exported in containers of international specifications. For a period of three years, the cargo will be allowed to be transported in internationally acceptable and verifiable standards of sealed trucks while the oversize and bulk cargo, which is not imported in containers, will be transported in open trucks or other transport units. It was also agreed that export of perishable goods in transit would be transported in open trucks or other transport units.

According to the record note signed, the drivers and cleaners will be allowed to enter/exit the two countries on permits, identified by the biometric devices installed at the entry points. It was also agreed that an Arbitral Tribunal would be established bilaterally.

In case of failure to agree on a common name of third arbitrator, two names of non-nationals and non-residents would be proposed by each side and the third arbitrator would be selected by drawing lots from the four proposed names.

In order to tackle the issue of unauthorised trade, it has been agreed that tracking devices on transport units will be installed and a mechanism for customs-to-customs information sharing (IT data and others) will be established.

In this context, it has also been agreed that financial guarantees equal to the amount of import levies of Pakistan have to be deposited by authorised brokers/custom clearing agents to check the unauthorised trade and these deposits will be released after the goods exit the country.

In case, the goods do not exit the country within specified time, the guarantees will be encashed by the customs authorities. Moreover, the agreement to be signed will be subject to any other measures to be taken by APTTA.