pak-afghan trade transit(for kp pms)

[sfmascot]

Pak-afghan trade transit

Pakistan has recently signed Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement. This agreement (as I understand) means that Afghanistan can use Pakistani territory to import goods from any country, including India. It looks good on paper but in reality, if Pakistan is not careful, it can cause far reaching economical as well as security consequence for Pakistan. I believe working clauses are still to get agreed. I think there are economical and security consequence to this agreement, and we should discuss the consequences of this agreement keeping few things in mind.

1: Afghanistan is a landlocked country. Obviously we would not like that Afghanistan suffers because of being a landlocked country. Afghanistan is a neighbouring country and Pakistan should do whatever to help Afghanistan develop and grow, so that lives of Afghan gets better. Anyhow, this should not happen at the cost of Pakistan.
2: Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement is good for both countries, as when Afghanistan needs Pakistani territory to import their goods, Pakistan needs Afghanistan territory to export goods to central Asian countries.
3: Pak-Afghan border is very difficult to monitor, and practically it is open border for smugglers.
4: When transit goods go through a country than seepage of those goods in the country is not difficult, especially when country is not very organised and corruption in the country is rife (both is true with Pakistan).

Economical Consequence: Pakistan could not impose import duty on transit goods. So, large proportion of goods destined for Afghanistan could (and most likely would) seep into Pakistan duty free during transit and due to smuggling after reaching Afghanistan (if import duties in Afghanistan is less than Pakistan). Banned goods in Pakistan could also get to Pakistan using this process. Many goods that Pakistan exports to Afghanistan and Central Asia could get replaced by Indian cheaper goods, and that would harm Pakistani economy as well as industries.

Security consequence: Pakistan has unresolved Kashmir conflict with India, and relationship could not become trusting until this unresolved conflict is sorted out. It is unlikely that Pakistan would stop supporting Kashmiris fighting against Indian occupation, and in consequence, Indian would keep creating encouraging and supporting separatist and terrorist movements in Pakistan. That means, India could use transit trade facility to smuggle weapons, money and equipments to these elements in Pakistan whenever India would want to.

Solution: In my opinion, I think that even though Pakistan has signed Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement, they should include some self-preserving clauses in the agreement. These are:

1: Pakistan would not allow Pakistani territory as transit for Indian goods until all bilateral issue with India is resolved, including Kashmir (unless, such goods have been given special permission for transit).
2: Pakistan would not allow Pakistani territory as transit for goods that are coming from countries having no relationship with Pakistan (like Israel).
3: Pakistan would not allow Pakistani territory as transit for goods that has lower import duty in Afghanistan than Pakistan (to stop smuggling back into Pakistan).
4: Pakistan would not allow Pakistani territory as transit for goods that are banned in Pakistan (unless, such goods have been given special permission for transit).
5: Pakistan would not allow Pakistani territory as transit for goods that are coming from countries where Pakistani goods have restrictions.
6: All goods that would enter Pakistan would get inspected by Pakistan at port of entry for security reasons.
regards

[Rehan Mehmood]

Dear sfmascot…!

I really appreciate your observation and deep thinking regarding this (smuggling) agreement of Pakistan, Afghanistan and International countries. Some facts and dangers you discussed exactly those, what we see by living just in neighbor of Afghanistan. This is not hidden from any of us that what we got by hosting Afghan refugees. As you mentioned the territory importance in your post, yes, it’s true, because now at Chaman border (Afghanistan) the visa is only Rs. 50/head. No restriction is there to move any thing between two countries. Smuggling of all kind of commodities is common.

The point is that our government (Political) representatives not getting tired in putting their totally neglected responsibilities in India’s and Israel’s courts, and always talk about any third hidden hand involvement instead of their own blunders, and now they just licensed these criminal actions by this agreement.

Solutions you provided are valuable, but very far looking in the system of our beloved country. Posted personnel of Custom, Excise, Levies, FC and police at transit gates of the country, how much are honest, everyone knows. Literally this look in the favor of Afghanistan as this country deserve this kind of relaxation, but the question is what we have to loss now..??

[Dr. Farhan]

Correction: Indian goods are not allowed to be exported to Afghanistan through Pakistani land. Only Afghanistan can export its goods to India via Pakistani land.
Ref. http://news.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect...it-trade-fa-05