PAJCCI’s 11th AGM Declares Unified Push to Rescue Pak-Afghan Trade

KARACHI-UNS:  The Pakistan-Afghan of Commerce & Industry (PAJCCI) held its 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 30, 2025, at the PAJCCI Secretariat and via Zoom. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Zubair Motiwala, Chairman PAJCCI, anchored by Mr. Jawaid Bilwani, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) and Former President PAJCCI, and presented by Mr. Junaid Makda, President PAJCCI.
The session was attended by Mr. Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, Senior Vice President; Mr. Pervez Lala, Vice President; Mr. Qazi Zahid Hussain, Ex-Officio; Mr. Zia-ul-Arfeen, Senior Vice President KCCI; Mr. Ziker Mahanti; Mr. Suleman Chawla; Ms. Nighat Shahid; Mr. Farooq Ahmed; Mr. Usman Ansari; Ms. Durre Shawar Nisar; Ms. Huma Waheed; Mr. Faiz Muhammad Faizi; Mr. Muhammad Idrees; Mr. Abdul Ghaffar; Ms. Nylla Perveen Juneja; Ms. Sakina Hashim; Mr. Aslam Pakhali; and General Body Members. The proceedings culminated in a series of unanimous resolutions aimed at addressing the pressing issues hampering bilateral and transit trade.
The AGM unanimously approved the minutes of the 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting (EOGM), and adopted the 2024-2025 Audited Financial Statements and re-appointment of Auditor.
Chairman PAJCCI, Mr. Zubair Motiwala, highlighted the significant decline in formal trade volumes, which have fallen from USD 2.5 billion to nearly USD 1 billion. He called for a unified strategy, urging both chapters to collaborate “jointly and cohesively on one page” and to prepare a consolidated document outlining common issues. He emphasized the need for a comparative analysis to understand why Afghan traders are increasingly turning to China and stressed the importance of enhancing Pakistan’s competitiveness.
President PAJCCI, Mr. Junaid Makda, presented the performance report, highlighting the chamber’s achievements and challenges. He strongly advocated for the resolution of the Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) issue with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government, citing its severe impact on trade. He also emphasized the critical need for a high-level PAJCCI delegation to visit Kabul to address visas, tariffs, and trade facilitation directly.
Mr. Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, Senior Vice President (SVP) PAJCCI, provided a stark overview of ground realities, noting that container traffic at the Torkham border had plummeted from 6,000-7,000 to a few hundred due to the IDC. He also raised concerns over the non-operational NLC terminal and the lack of consultation with PAJCCI on tariff revisions. The House warmly congratulated Mr. Sarhadi on being conferred the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz.