Collector Customs Peshawar, Qurban Ali has said that the Pak Afghan Torkham border will be part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). For that purpose, he added a well equipped modern customs terminal to be established with an estimated cost of Rs 12 billion to boost Pak Afghan bilateral trade, as well as to curb smuggling.
He was addressing a gathering of custom clearance agents and transporters in custom colony, Landi Kotal on Tuesday. He said that CPEC would not only bring economical stability in Pakistan but would also change fortune of the region and Torkham would be connected to the dynamic plan so that the tribals could benefit from it.
"Being our brotherly and neighbouring country, we are very much interested in increasing trade with Afghanistan and for that purpose a modern customs terminal at an estimated cost of Rs 12 billion has been planned to be established at Torkham border," Mr Qurban maintained. He added, "at present the customs center Torkham adds Rs 70 million per month to the national exchequer and it will further increase in near future."
He supported the border management policy and said although in the eyes of tribesmen it had a bad impact on their local trading but in long run it would be fruitful for the country and local tribesmen and.
He urged upon the clearing agents to adopt computerised system while clearing export and import commodities to enhance the business activities at the border. Replying to a query he said that keeping in view problems of delay for transporters returning from Afghanistan in terms of slow pace of checking by the Pak border security forces at the Torkham border, two hours extra time had been granted to them for their early crossing into Pakistan.