ISLAMABAD: The Taliban government has called on Pakistan to permit Afghan nationals to repatriate their cash and assets to Afghanistan. The request comes amid discussions between Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi and Pakistan’s caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani in Islamabad.
The meeting addressed trade issues and the transfer of assets owned by Afghan nationals in Pakistan. This development follows Pakistan’s recent expulsion of undocumented Afghans, citing the Taliban’s failure to address militants using Afghanistan for attacks on Pakistan.
During the meeting, the Afghan Embassy highlighted concerns about stranded goods of Afghan traders at Karachi Port and obstacles to transferring refugees’ properties to Afghanistan. Afghan citizens returning home have faced challenges in transferring assets and cash owned in Pakistan. Azizi also urged Pakistan to release thousands of stuck containers at Karachi Port, which has been a point of contention between the two nations.
Pakistan claims significant losses in taxes due to duty-free goods sent from its ports to land-locked Afghanistan, only to be smuggled back with minimal duty payments. Afghan authorities argue that Pakistan has halted over 3,000 containers at Karachi Port, demanding additional taxes and duties, causing substantial losses to traders. The goods, including electronics, machine parts, chemicals, and textiles, face high tariffs if imported to Pakistan. The trade dispute adds to the complex issues between Kabul and Islamabad since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
The Foreign Office emphasized the potential for regional trade and connectivity through collective action against terrorism. Additionally, a trilateral meeting between representatives from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan is planned, focusing on trade transit and railway connections between South and Central Asia passing through Afghanistan.
