Pakistan assured Afghanistan's Taliban militia on November 17 that it will make every effort to resolve the issue of transit trade while keeping in view its implications for Islamabad's economy as well.

The assurances were given by Pakistani Minister for Commerce, Industries and Production Abdul Razak Dawood in a meeting with Moulvi Abdul Jalil, Taliban's deputy foreign minister for trade.

All matters would be resolved through mutual consultations, Dawood said.

A meeting of experts will be held between the two sides Thursday to discuss the pending issue of Afghan transit trade.

Imports of 17 items had been banned by Pakistan under the Afghan transit trade after Pakistani manufacturers complained that growing smuggling from Afghanistan badly affected the local industry.

Last week, the Pakistani government ordered the release of goods of 101 items, imported by Afghanistan through transit trade and withheld at the Karachi port, waiving 8 billion rupees (154.7 million US dollars) worth of excise duty.