Kabul, Islamabad urged to relax visa policy for businessmen

The business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to relax visa policies and remove hurdles to the promotion of bilateral trade. Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) senior vice-president Shahid Hussain told a meeting on the chamber’s premises that business communities of both Pakistan and Afghanistan required hassle-free visas to travel to their neighbouring country. He called for pragmatic steps to address issues hampering visa issuance by Islamabad and Kabul to businesspersons saying relaxation of visa policy will boost bilateral trade. The senior SCCI office-bearer warned that if speedy visa issuance to businessperson wasn’t ensured, business and investment conferences won’t deliver the goods. SCCI leader says Pak-Afghan trade volume came down from $2.5bn in 2012 to $6m in 2022. He said that the annual Pak-Afghan trade volume was $2.5 billion in 2012 but unfortunately, it came down to just $6 million in 2022. Mr Hussain said that the annual Pakistan-Afghan trade’s volume was $2.5 billion in 2012 but unfortunately, it came down to just to six million dollars in 2022. He alleged that Afghans, including traders, were illegally charged $1,000 for visa issuance. The SCCI leader said that in view of the precarious security situation in Afghanistan, Pakistani businessmen feared for their lives in the neighbouring country.