PESHAWAR: Traders and exporters claim that export from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had halted after imposition of two percent cess, fearing shifting of export to other provinces from KP if the cess couldn’t withdraw immediately.

Business community said the provincial government’s move of slapping cess was not only adversely affecting exports but also incurred huge financial loss to exporters. They said that export is shifting from KP to other provinces owing to negligence of the provincial government.

Business community noted the traders have also been facing difficulties owing to lack of facilities at Azakhel dry port.

The issues were taken up by a delegation of Frontier Custom Agents Association (FCAA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar president, PAJCCI senior vice president and executive member of the SCCI Ziaul Haq Sarhadi during a meeting with the SCCI chief Fazal Moqeem Khan held at the Chamber House.

The association senior vice president Khalid Shahzad, vice president Imtiaz Ahmad Ali, executive members Mansoor Ahmad, Javed Khan, Tariq Afridi, Israr Afridi, Nizam Shah, Arshad Khan, Sher Muhammad, Wahab Khan and Faiz Muhammad were amongst members of the delegation.

On the occasion, the delegation congratulated the newly elected president Fazal Moqeem Khan, Senior Vice president Abdul Jalil Jan and Vice president Shehryar Khan.

PAJCCI senior office-bearer apprised the meeting about hurdles in Pak-Afghan mutual trade, transit trade, export; especially lack of facilities at Azakhel Dry port. On the occasion, the SCCI chief assured the delegation to take up all issues with relevant authorities to streamline business, trade and export.

Fazal Moqeem also called for revival of a cargo train from Peshawar to Karachi and Good in Transit to Afghanistan (GITA) and provision of facilities at all trade routes and to activate the process of trade and export in an expedited and simplified manner.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024