KABUL - Afghan senators described the Karzai government's trade policy with Pakistan as equally poor as its diplomatic policy with the neighboring country, calling for the trade problems faced by Afghan businesses to be addressed.

"Just as the government doesn't have a clear defense policy and has kept silent about the Pakistani shelling, the same is with its trade policy," senator Urfanullah Urfan said in the senate session Tuesday.
Senator Najiba Hussaini voiced her agreement saying the trade policy is weak with all countries.

"In fact, the Afghan government does not have a clear policy with any of the neighboring countries, particularly with Pakistan," she said.
The statements came after the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) complained Tuesday about major transit problems faced by Afghan traders exporting to Pakistan.

ACCI Deputy Chairman Khanjan Alokozay raised his concerns with the senators, saying that Afghan traders face major difficulties in dealing with Pakistan, including their trade materials getting "lost" in transit.

"[To pressure Pakistan], we want the government not to allow fruit and food to come to Afghanistan from Pakistan, as well as ban the export of Afghan trade materials," Alokozay said before the senators Tuesday.

He also warned about a possible collapse in the Afghan carpet industry as many other kinds of foreign carpets were coming to Afghanistan making it difficult for Afghan carpet producers to compete.

He said that extortion is damaging the industry, with traders being forced to pay bribes in order to transport their goods.

"For example, a provincial governor or a police checkpoint is taking extortion all the way up to Torkham port, so, how a trader can compete in the market. It's a major challenge for the traders," Alokozay added.

Alokozay said that he has shared his concerns with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and that investigative commissions were formed, but they had failed to make a difference. (Tolo News)