OUR STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Afghanistan Tuesday agreed to enhance bilateral trade for the integration of economies, identification of the core areas in the spirit of progress, and to constitute three different committees for progress in this direction. This was discussed in a meeting between Minister of Commerce of Afghanistan Dr Anwarul Haque Ahadi who is currently visiting Pakistan along with a delegation, with the Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. The two sides discussed to enhance further bilateral trade between two countries, which currently stands at $1.7 billion. During the discussion both sides agreed for integration of economies, identification of the core areas in the spirit of progress and to constitute three different committees for progress in this direction. It was also decided that the Planning Commission of Pakistan would facilitate in summing up of the concrete proposals and recommendations of these three committees to put up ahead of both Ministers before the conclusion of the Afghan delegation's visit to Pakistan. The two sides discussed security of cargo to and from Afghanistan, the bank guarantee and insurance to the transported item from Pakistan and abroad through Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Route. The three committees comprising three members from each side representing CBR, Communications and Finance shall focus their deliberations on issues of security, insurance and bank guarantees so that the bottlenecks be removed to enhance the trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Transloading and transshipment issues were also brought into discussion, which centered around the cargo to Afghanistan and from Afghanistan through Pakistan for abroad. The two sides also agreed in principle to further case the customs procedure for the rapid clearance of the consignments to and from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Afghan Minister for Commerce and Industry Dr Anwarul Haq Ahady called on Foreign Minister Ms Hina Rabbani Khar today. The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest including implementation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA). The Afghan Minister for Commerce and Industry, who had arrived in Islamabad this morning, was accompanied by a ten-member delegation comprising senior government officials and prominent businessmen.