KABUL -Afghanistan launches international trade route bypassing Pakistan,Afghan media has reported.
President Ashraf Ghani, who arrived in Zaranj city in western Nimrozprovince on Sunday morning, inaugurated the first Afghan cargo which willbe sent to India through Chabahar Port in Iran.
The shipment 570 tons of goods which are being carried by 23 trucks.
Addressing a ceremony in Zaranj, Ghani said that with the opening of theChabahar route, the country’s exports will increase to $2 billion from thecurrent $1 billion in the next year.
“Today, Nimroz is turning from a deprived province into a key province,”Ghani said as he pointed out to the importance of the Chabahar Port forNimroz.
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Ghani directed relevant institutions to start work on improving Nimroz froma third-grade province to a second-grade province.
Chabahar Port is a key trade port, providing Afghanistan with direct seaaccess. In May 2016, India, Iran, and Afghanistan signed an agreement onthe establishment of a Transit and Transport Corridor among the threecountries using Chabahar Port as the regional hub for sea transportation.
