Prime Minister Imran Khan has, to incentivize invested from neighboring countries accorded approval to create trade markets along borders with Iran and Afghanistan, reported ARY News.
Approval for 12 markets along the Afghanistan borders and 6 along the Iranian border was given by the Prime Minister, presiding over a high-level meeting, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other high officials were in attendance at the meeting.
The markets are proposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shaheedano Dhand in Kurram district, Kharlachi, and Angor Adda in South Waziristan, Arundo in Lower Chitral, Gursal in Mohmand District, and Ghulam Khan and Torkham crossing points.
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Only traders and customers within a 5 kilometer-radius will be allowed to set up businesses or to shop in the markets.
The feedback from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade includes making the markets available for tourists and keeping them open on the weekends while setting a maximum limit of $200 for buyers.
stressed that ANDSF will increase their efforts towards providing better security for Laghman residents. 2/2
— Ministry of Defense, Afghanistan (@MoDAfghanistan) September 17, 2020
The issue of smuggling was also brought up during the meeting. It was decided to take ‘effective measures’ against illegal activity. The border markets are to be made functional by February next year.
In May, presiding over a meeting reviewing the measures taken by the government to mitigate smuggling, and overpricing, the Prime Minister had promised ‘no compromise’ in action against smuggling.
Meeting discussed actions taken to mitigate smuggling
Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Food Security and Research Minister Syed Fakhar Imam, Adviser to the PM on Finance Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, and relevant officials were in attendance in the meeting.
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Over the course of the meeting, the premier had been informed that an ordinance had been promulgated to curb the smuggling of basic food items and currency as it empowered law enforcement agencies to take action against such illegal activities at the country’s airports and frontiers.
GVS News Desk