PESHAWAR: Traders dealing with Pak-Afghan trade and officials concerned discussed banned items in Afghan Trade Transit.
According to a statement issued here on Saturday, the members of the business community attached with Pak-Afghan trade held a meeting with Director Transit Trade Customs, Arbab Qaiser Hameed to hold discussion on banned items in Afghan Transit Trade.
The delegation of stakeholders was led by prominent businessman and Coordinator of Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Ziaul-Haq Sarhadi.
Other members of the delegation included Engr. Manzoor Elahi, Ex. SVP Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Farooq Ahmad, President Torkhem Custom Agents Association and Aimal Khan Shinwari, President All Torkham Custom Association. Director Transit Trade, Arbab Qaiser Hameed was accompanied by Wajid Ali, Additional Director, Shams Wazir, Additional Director, Ms. Maleeka Ahmad, Deputy Director and Superintendent Transit, Sadiq Akbar.
The meeting held thorough discussion on one point agenda of banned items of Afghan transit trade and suggestions were given by the business community for redressal of issues.
Director Transit shared the list of banned items and delegates of stakeholders proposed that the items with negligible imports in transit may be excluded from the list.
They also made a recommendation that items like raw material used in Afghan industries may also be excluded from the negative list in order to streamline the transit trade removing the impression of unnecessary restrictions which in retaliation impact Pakistani exports to Central Asian countries via Afghanistan in transit.
Arbab Qaiser Hameed gave patient hearing to the issues and held out assurance of giving serious consideration to suggestions presented in the meeting.
Ziaul-Haq Sarhadi thanked Custom officials for giving them time to listen to problems causing impediments in Pak-Afghan Trade. He said businessmen are fully against smuggling of goods from Afghanistan but was of the view that vigilance and monitoring should be enhanced instead of imposing ban on trade.
He said the livelihood of thousands of people in both Pakistan and Afghanistan are attached with trade between the two countries and this historic link of commerce has a vast untapped potential if business is extended to Central Asian Republics. He also appreciated the efforts made by Director General Transit Trade, Wajid Ali in promotion of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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