ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has waived import taxes on Afghan fruits to help the neighbor’s traders and farmers, Islamabad’s special representative for Afghanistan said on Saturday.
Disrupted by the volatile situation in Afghanistan since last month’s Taliban takeover and collapse of the country’s previous administration, imports of fruits and vegetables from the neighboring country have recently led to an increase in their prices on Pakistani markets.
Effective from Saturday, the tax waiver in on fresh fruit produce.
“As an indication that Pakistan’s foreign policy have moved to a geo-economic emphasis, ales tax on fruits imported from Afghanistan will have zero percent sales tax,” Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq said in a Twitter post, sharing a notification issued by the Federal Board of Revenue.
“This will significantly help Afghan traders and framers,” he said.
As an indication that Pakistan's foreign policy have moved to a geo-economic emphasis, ales tax on fruits imported from Afghanistan will have zero percent sales tax from today. This will significantly help Afghan traders and framers. pic.twitter.com/lTMJy5Cymf
— Mohammad Sadiq (@AmbassadorSadiq) September 25, 2021
The new Taliban government of Afghanistan welcomed the decision and called for more bilateral trade.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of the Afghan foreign ministry, said in a statement the ministry “welcomes the action of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan” and called for “increased trade and transit between the two countries.”