PAJCCI welcomes China’s efforts to mediate in resolving disp

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PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Sep, 2026) Senior Vice President Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), Zi
In a press statement issued here on Friday, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, who is also President of Frontier Custom Agents Association (FCAA) and Executive Membe
Zia mentioned that prolonged closure and persistent suspension of trade, transit and cross-border connectivity between Afghanistan and Pakistan have i
After suffering such heavy losses, it is natural for the business community to ask what guarantee exists that trade and transit will not be halted aga
Any future agreement should include a specific clause clearly stating that "trade, transit, and regional connectivity shall not be used as tools of po

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Sep, 2026) Senior Vice President Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has said that the business community wholeheartedly welcome China's efforts to mediate and play a positive role in resolving the disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In a press statement issued here on Friday, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, who is also President of Frontier Custom Agents Association (FCAA) and Executive Member Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), said China is uniquely positioned to play this constructive role due to its strong ties with both nations and its strategic interest in fostering peace, stability, trade and connectivity within the region.

Zia mentioned that prolonged closure and persistent suspension of trade, transit and cross-border connectivity between Afghanistan and Pakistan have inflicted immense losses upon traders, industrialists, transporters, customs agents, laborers, and millions of ordinary citizens in both countries.

After suffering such heavy losses, it is natural for the business community to ask what guarantee exists that trade and transit will not be halted again due to future political or security disputes.

Any future agreement should include a specific clause clearly stating that "trade, transit, and regional connectivity shall not be used as tools of political pressure, nor suspended based on political conflicts between the two countries, he suggested.

" Instead, any political or security dispute should be resolved through a permanent consultative and dispute-resolution mechanism, while legitimate trade activities and the movement of goods continue under mutually agreed-upon security protocols,” he continued.

Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi added that China could assist in establishing a trade and transit guarantee mechanism involving representatives from the private sectors of Afghanistan, Pakistan and China.

This mechanism could oversee the implementation of agreements, facilitate emergency consultations and prevent disputes from escalating into prolonged border closures.

He emphasized importance of China's role, noting that Afghanistan and Pakistan are geographically interconnected, with Afghanistan serving as a vital gateway between Pakistan and Central Asia.

He warned that if trade routes are repeatedly closed, businesses will eventually shift to alternative routes and suppliers; therefore, it must be ensured that the border and trade routes are not shut down without valid justification.

It is not unusual for political differences to arise between neighboring countries, but trade should not fall victim to politics, nor should ordinary citizens, traders and workers be forced to pay the price for political disputes.

The business community requires predictable conditions, continuity, security and reliable guarantees to invest with confidence.

China has a historic opportunity to help steer Afghanistan and Pakistan away from recurring conflict and toward institutionalized economic cooperation.

A reliable guarantee mechanism, established with China's support, could foster the trust needed to restore trade, transit, and regional connectivity, laying the foundation for decades of economic cooperation among Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and Central Asia, he commented.

Trade should serve as a bridge between nations and China's constructive role could prove instrumental in shaping a more stable, integrated and prosperous region.

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