The Hindu : Kabul wants Indian goods sent through Wagah

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 15, 2002

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Kabul wants Indian goods sent through Wagah

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD MAY 14.

Pakistan is believed to have rejected a proposal by the Afghan Government to allow transportation of Indian goods to Afghanistan through the Wagah border.

Quoting an official who attended the Pakistan-Afghan talks here on Monday, the daily said the Afghan Commerce Minister kept on insisting that the Wagah border should be opened for the purpose. However, his counterpart, Razak Dawood, responded that it was not possible under the given circumstances, particularly because of the Indian `attitude'.

The Pakistan Minister of State and Chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Tariq Ikram, told the Dawn that "we have no objection if Afghan goods are transported through the Wagah border to India''. But the transportation of Indian goods to Afghanistan was dependent on the "resolution of Kashmir and other issues."

Mr. Dawood told the paper that the Afghan side had also raised the question of allowing Chinese goods into its territory through the Khunjerab Pass. "We promised to examine the possibility,'' he said.

Asked whether Pakistan had invited the attention of the Afghan delegation to the complaint that most of the contracts (for reconstruction of Afghanistan) were being awarded to India and Iran, Mr. Dawood said the delegation maintained that Afghanistan would prefer Pakistani businessmen to come forward.

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Kabul wants Indian goods sent through Wagah