PESHAWAR: Businessmen associated with Pak-Afghan trade have said that commercial activities between the two countries are suspended as border authorities stopped clearance of goods laden trucks in the wake of a notification issued by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

In a joint press statement issued here on Sunday, Vice President Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, Chairman Land Route Standing Committee of Sarhad Chamber, Imtiaz Ahmad Ali and Former Vice President SCCI, Shahid Hussain said bilateral trade between the two countries has reduced drastically and urged SBP to review its notification causing stoppage of goods clearance.

They said the SBP in its first notification allowed export to Afghanistan after obtaining payment from Afghan traders in dollars.

However, later another notification was issued wherein the last date was changed from December 31 to December 13 causing halt in clearance of goods laden trucks at Torkham border post, they added.

They said businessmen dealing in Pak-Afghan trade had prepared large consignments which were passing through the process of passage but have now been stuck at the border due to change of date in the notification.

Due to non-issuance of Form E and Form I by SBP, a large number of fully loaded trucks are standing in queue at both sides of the border post waiting for clearance.

The border authorities are refusing to clear the trucks in the wake of issuance of new notification from SBP, Zia continued.

Zia said exports to Afghanistan from Pakistan have already shown a decrease of around 35 percent during the period starting from September to December 2021.

He said Afghanistan is faced with a severe economic crisis and banks there don’t have dollars so the SBP should continue its earlier policy for around more than six months.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022