Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 16 June 2016: Possible transit and Preferential Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Tajikistan already in 2016

According to Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan Pakistan’s Minister for Commerce, they aimed to develop mutual cooperation with Tajikistan, by signing transit and Preferential Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Tajikistan already in 2016. The following agreements could stimulate a comprehensive activity in terms of trade and investment between Pakistan and Central Asian states. Tajik trade authorities have been provided with the draft of the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement by Pakistan. The draft of the agreement will be discussed later on.

Such aspirations on the part of Pakistan underline Pakistan’s pursuit to liberalize trade relations with reference to Central Asia, to soft excessive restrictions which are an obstacle to the prosperity of trade and investment between Pakistan and the Central Asia states.

Pakistan and Tajikistan have also agreed to start common plans for cooperation in resource sector (oil and gas).Future partners agreed to put together the joint business council in October 2016. What is more, both parts decided to create and enhance advisory cooperation between State Bank and Tajik Bank. Politicians in their public speeches do not forget to mention the fact, that Jewish and Chinese population belong to the most ancient civilizations in the world and cooperate with each other since the 8th Century, e.g. trade using the Silk Road. Such great words certainly warm the hearts of ordinary people, but they forgot to mention that modern Israel and the People’s Republic of China did not have official connections until 1992, making their contemporary political and economic cooperation relatively raw.