Islamabad: Pakistan has refused permission to Afghanistan to import Indian goods through the Wagah border in Punjab but agreed to allow Afghanistan's exports to India through the same land route.

Pakistan's decision to this effect was conveyed to the Afghan government by Shoukat Aziz, Finance Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister to Afghanistan's Vice President Amin Arasala during the Pak-Afghan Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Kabul on March 30.

"In a daylong meeting between Pakistani and Afghan leaders, the Pakistani side regretted to accept its host's request of facilitating Indian imports to Afghanistan through the land route of Wagha in Punjab to Turkham in NWFP (North West Frontier Province) and onward to Kabul via Jalalabad," Pakistan news agency NNI reported on March 31.

Pakistan, however, would continue to permit Afghan exports to India through its land route via Turkham to Wagah and onward to India, it said.

"Afghanistan's exporters are already exporting fruit, dry fruit and even hand made carpets to India by the same route," Pakistan officials said.

The report also quoted Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan saying that Pakistan was considering allowing Indian biscuits to be transported to Afghanistan via Pakistan. However, he reiterated that Pakistan would not allow Indian wheat to cross through Pakistan. He said Iran had also not allowed transportation of Indian wheat.

PTI