Traders dealing with import and export business of coal have voiced concern over the prolonged closure of Pak-Afghan sharing border, and demanded of the government to allow entry of stranded vehicles of coal via Torkham border forthwith to save them from huge financial losses.
Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Friday, Coal Traders Association General Secretary, Iqbal Yousaf Khattak said that around 20,000 tons coal, loaded at more than 500 vehicles, stranded Afghanistan side since the closure of the sharing border.
Flanked by the association members, Sohail Ahmad, Malik Zafar, Haji Bagh Jalal, and others, he said that they would face financial losses of over Rs 400 million, if the border was not reopened immediately. He informed they had paid Rs 3,500 per day as rent of vehicle, adding that transporters were also demanding extra fares amid the prolonged closure of the border.
Moreover, he said they had paid Rs 57 million as export duty to Afghan authorities. He said they would additional payoff freight of Rs 300 million, besides Rs 8 million as load and unload charge in Afghanistan, if their vehicles didn't depart early, he added.
Iqbal Khattak said the business community has already suffered colossal monetary losses, due to prevalent circumstances in Pakistan, and urged to avoid further economic genocide of the community.
He said that Government of Pakistan had collected Rs 1 billion on head of sale and income tax from the coal sector. He informed that around four lac ton of coal imported from neighbouring Afghanistan every year. Sohail Ahmad said that cement industry and others, had given them orders. He said that if the demand of clients was not fulfilled timely in Pakistan, they would inflict enormous financial losses.
He urged the Pakistani authorities to immediate allow the entry of stranded vehicles to save from further income losses. He appreciated the Government of Pakistan and security forces for taking stern security and border management measures, which was pre-requisite to country safety and security.