PESHAWAR: Pak-Afghan authorities and business community have agreed on the promotion of bilateral trade through Torkham, removing hurdles in trade convoys and allowing of the entry of empty containers from Afghan side of the border.
The consensus in this regard was reached between the business communities of both the countries that met at the Zero Point of the Torkham Border, told Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, a member of the Pakistani delegation.
The Pakistani delegation was comprised of 22 members including senior vice president of Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Khalid Shehzad, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) vice president Junaid Altaf, Shahid Hussain, Imtiaz Ahmad Ali, President, Khyber Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Colonel (Retd) Mohammad Saddique and Jabir Shinwari. The officers of Pakistan Customs and National Logistic Cell (NLC) also accompanied the delegation.
Besides, security officer Abdul Baseer, additional collector Customs (Gumark) Roohaullah Nazri, deputy at Afghan Customs House (Gumark) Shah Jehan , the representatives of Kabul Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sifwatullah Sahibzada, Agha Mohammad Rodowal, Mohammad Nadir, Haji Usman, Bashir Wahab, Inayatullah, Haji Zalmi, Dr Mukhlis Ahmad, Commercial Attaché Peshawar Afghan Consulate, Fawad Arsh, Deputy Attaché, Dr Hameedullah, Naeem Saif of Afghan Consulate Karachi and others represented Afghanistan.
The meeting unanimously decided that 4000 empty containers of Pak-Afghan transit trade that are stranded on Afghan side and paying $150 on daily basis in head of detention charges would be cleared from 10pm to 6am on daily basis to reach Karachi while export and Afghan transit trade goods will enter Afghanistan from Pakistan.
Similarly, from 6am to 10pm has been specified for the entry of the exports of Afghanistan including fresh fruit, vegetable, transit to India and other goods. An estimated number of 1000 trucks will enter Pakistan on daily basis.
Zia-ul-Sarhadi, who is the president of Frontier Customs Agents Association (FCAA) said the authorities and business community of both the countries have also agreed the establishment of a joint check post on Afghan side on the pattern of already established joint check post by Pakistan at the Zero Point wherein all agencies are collectively check Afghan good, so they should also collectively check their containers. Through such steps, he the smuggling of the prohibited goods and humans could be arrested.
These steps, he said would accelerate business activities from both sides.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020