Divisional Superintendent (DS) Pakistan Railways, Peshawar, Mohammad Ali Afridi has offered the services of Pakistan Railways to Afghan Transit Traders' Group for the transportation of the goods of Afghan Transit Trade (ATT). He made the offer during a meeting with President, Afghan Transit Traders' Group Gul Afzal Shinwari.
Other present on the occasion were included DTO, Railways, Masood Jan, Chief Controller, Railways, Sarhad Bacha, General Secretary, Pak-Afghan Transit Traders' Group, Farooq Ahmad, Abdul Hameed Gurwara and chairman, KPCCI standing committee on Railways and Dry Port, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi.
The DS Pakistan Railways assured the provision of all kind of facilities to the traders concerned with Pakistan and Afghanistan transit trade. In response to the offer of the officials of Pakistan Railways, the traders group presented their demands including the delivery of goods from Karachi to Peshawar within a period of five days, insurance of the goods and cut in the fares.
On this occasion, the office bearers of Pak-Afghan Traders' Group said that that the ineffectiveness of Pakistan Railways had resulted in the shifting of 70 per cent business of Afghan Transit Trade to Bandar Abbas and Chabahar ports of Iran. They said that Pakistan Railways in past have also assured the provision of facilities, but practically took no step.
They said that Pakistan Railways is national institution and they wanted the return of the ATT business back to Pakistan to it. However, for this purpose, Pakistan Railways would have to search out solution to those problems, which resulted in the diversion of this business to other stations. The traders demanded the delivery of goods from Karachi to Peshawar within a period of five days, Loading of goods on 24 hours demand, the arresting of the allotment of wagons on bogus demands, incentives in head of fares and payment of claim in case of the missing of goods.
DS Pakistan Railways, Mohammad Ali Afridi assured them they are making all out efforts for provision of every possible facility to the transit concerned businessmen and for this purpose all basic facilities would be provided to them. He agreed with the five-day time period for the delivery of goods from Karachi to Peshawar and said that Pakistan Railways would leave no stone unturned for ensuring timely and secured transportation of goods. He also assured the taking up the matter of relief in fares with headquarters in a very effective manner.
To the demand of the payment of claim, he said that the claimed would be paid in a specified time period. To another question regarding Afghan Transit Trade, particularly difficulties related to SRO 121, he assured contacting of Customs authorities with immediate effect.
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