Pak, Tajikistan to enter PTA soon
19 December, 2005
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Tajikistan will enter Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) soon and Pakistan has sent proposals in this regard, sources said on Sunday.
Sources said that reminder had also been sent to Tajikistan to finalize the draft of the PTA and Pakistan is waiting for the response from the other side.
"The agreement between two countries will give impetus to the existing volume of bilateral trade between two countries," they added.
The two countries will hold dialogue to finalize the PTA after Pakistan receives response from Tajikistan.
Improved trade ties between Pakistan and the Central Asian state of Tajikistan would allow the South Asian nation to establish itself as a gateway for Central Asian trade and commerce, and be a source for increased revenue, according to an analyst.
It would be a tremendous source of revenue from the Central Asian states, from the Pakistani point-of-view, and equally, it would provide opportunities for Central Asian states, such as Tajikistan, to boost cheaper exports.
The formations of two working groups on countering regional terrorism and regional stability have also been announced between two countries.
The accords have also been made between two countries and these accords focus on visa facilitation, the need to avoid double taxation, education, the judiciary, tourism, cooperation between official news agencies and combating drug trafficking.
The Pak-Tajik Joint Economic Commission has identified infrastructure, manufacturing, textiles, cement, banking, oil and gas, capital markets, scientific technology, tourism, mining, energy, irrigation and agriculture as areas where the two countries can boost economic ties.
Tajikistan has also sought Pakistan’s help to develop hydropower and irrigation and Tajikistan is interested in cooperating in cement, cotton production, agriculture and establishment of air links.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for sale of electricity to Pakistan and mutual co-operation in the field of hydro power development, particularly high voltage transmission lines.
Pakistan wants to purchase 1,000 megawatt of electric power and is interested in opening air and land routes between the two countries as desired by the President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
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