The government is considering to revise the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA) to provide direct transportation of the transit cargo from Karachi Port to Afghanistan, bypassing the cumbersome procedure of unloading and reloading of cargo at Peshawar Dry Port.
Sources told Business Recorder on Sunday that the government is examining four major proposals to remove hindrance in the clearance of transit goods to Afghanistan. The Central Board of Revenue (CBR), Ministry of Commerce (MoC), National Logistics Cell (NLC) and World Bank (WB) have been engaged in reviewing these proposals.
First, a proposal is under consideration to establish a customs station at Jamrud, instead of Torkham, to clear all transit cargo, which will end the requirement of obtaining 50 acres lands for the construction of a border terminal at Torkham.
Secondly, the officials are working on a feasibility of rehabilitation of rail track from Landi Kotal upwards and its extension to Afghanistan up to the Customs House on the Afghan side.
Third, the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) may make Azakhel and Amangarh as operational customs stations.
Sources said that the measures would ensure elimination of inefficiencies in the smooth flow of goods in transit to Afghanistan. Recently, a large volume of the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) had been diverted to Iranian port of Bandar Abbas due to non-availability of adequate transportation facility at the ports in Karachi. Importers usually opt for alternative mode of transportation for clearance of their consignments and to save themselves from demurrage and other charges, which they have to pay if they failed to clear their goods within the free time period.
The average arrival of non-commercial cargo mostly belongs to diplomatic, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) had directed the collectorate of customs (appraisement) at Port Qasim to allow transportation of ATTA cargo through National Logistics Cell (NLC) till the backlog is cleared.