Pakistan has fined Afghan traders a total of $50 million over the past three months for containers stuck up at Karachi port, office-bearers of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said. They said that Pakistani authorities had detained containers for 85 days and were demanding demurrage charges for using up port space.
ACCI Deputy Director Khan Jan Alokozai accused Pakistan of ignoring the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Agreement (APTA) and said: "We pay almost $1 million a day [in fines] and so far we have paid $50 million. Pakistan is ignoring APTA, which anticipated such transit problems between the two countries and suggested some strategies to solve potential problems."
With 3700 containers carrying Afghan-owned goods including foodstuffs stalled at Karachi, the fines are expected to mount.
Alokozai cited Article 23 of the APTA and said: "The two sides must attempt to strengthen the transit of goods and give priority to the transport of business goods and they should avoid unnecessary delays." Pakistan previously stopped Afghan containers at Torkham border post, charging Afghan traders $7 million as fines.
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