Torkhum border, Takht Bai checkpost: 'traders are facing huge losses'

Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Wednesday said that traders were facing huge financial losses owing to stuck of commercial goods at Torkhum border and Takht Bai checkpost. This was stated by acting SCCI president Ziaul Haq Sarhadi during his meeting with Collector Customs Peshawar Jehanzeb Mehmud at the latter's office on Wednesday.
Tufail Gurwara, Imtiaz Ahmed Ali, Haji Ishtiaq, Sikander, Shakeel Ahmed, Haji Gul Afzal Shinwari, Mazharul Haq, and Shah Afzal Shinwari were also present in the meeting. The acting SCCI president said that hundreds of trucks loaded with Afghan commercial cargo had been stuck at the Torkham border and Takhta Baig checkpost due to stoppage of Nato supplies since November 26, 2011. He alleged that the FC had halted the trucks without any reason.
Sarhadi, who is also the Chairman of Frontier Customs Agents Group, said that three departments were checking commercial cargo at Torkham border, which according to him was nothing but a wastage of time. He proposed joint checking by these departments to save time. Sarhadi demanded that private trucks be allowed to carry export goods instead of bonded carriers. Collector Customs Jehanzeb Mehmud issued directives to mitigate problems being faced by the traders.