Afghanistan's Charge d&Affaires to Pakistan, Sardar Ahmad Shakib, has stated that Pakistan is like a second home to Afghans and that the current government has no involvement in the violent incidents taking place in Pakistan.Speaking at a seminar at the Institute of Regional Studies in Islamabad (IRS), Shakib said: &We do not want instability in Pakistan.
Some individuals may cross the border, but the caretaker government of Afghanistan has no role in these violent incidents.The seminar was titled &Strengthening Economic Ties between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia&.Shakib said certain elements may be crossing into Pakistan but emphasized that Afghanistan will not allow its soil to be used by terrorist groups against Pakistan.According to the Pakistan Daily, participants put questions to the Afghan envoy, including questions on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.This comes amid rising tension between the two countries as Islamabad continues to accuse the Islamic Emirate of not eradicating TTP on Afghan soil.Shakib, however, rejected these claims and said: &As per our stated position, our government does not allow Afghan soil [to be used] against Pakistan and others&.The Afghan envoy expressed the hope that his government would solve the problem with Pakistan through dialogue.Discussing bilateral trade relations, Shakib said these ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan were &long-standing& but characterized by ongoing challenges.Afghanistan is an important trade partner for Pakistan in the region, particularly in terms of transit and exports.
There are significant trade facilitation measures in place through the Chaman and Torkham crossing points, and these relations hold vital importance for both economies.However, the level of trade has continually faced difficulties due to some problems, though the Islamic Emirate always believes in a better future,& he said.He said trade relations between the two countries continually face significant obstacles.Absence of modern trade agreements between the two countries, dumping policies, frequent closures of crossing points, limited customs facilities, sudden and unilateral increases in tariffs, unnecessary checking of loaded vehicles, and other issues have hindered trade flows,& he said.He said the first step to improve relations would be to invest in trade infrastructure and to streamline customs processes.In addition, he suggested the building of mutual trust and enhancing diplomatic dialogue was critical in terms of achieving long-term trade benefits.
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