The commerce ministry of Pakistan has operationalised the Gwadar Port for Afghan transit trade on Friday, marking a first in sea trade between both the neighbours.
The trade business has commenced under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement-2010 (APTTA).
Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzak Dawood took to twitter to share that a ship carrying 16,000 metric tonnes of urea and fertiliser for Afghanistan had arrived in Gwadar, beginning a new chapter of trade via sea route from the Gwadar Port to Afghanistan.
The adviser further added that it was for the first time that the fertiliser will be locally packed. He claimed that directives had also been issued to offer jobs and livelihoods to local labourers only.
Apart from fertilisers, Afghanistan will be granted permission for the transit trade of sugar and wheat from Gwadar, while trucks carrying fully sealed consignments will only be allowed to go to the neighboring country.
Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in continued trade transit through land routes as global trade activities witnessed a lull amid the pandemic.
