National Logistics Cell (NLC) has chalked out comprehensive plans for establishment of new border terminals at key entry and exit points with neighbouring countries, in addition to upgrade of the existing ones at Chaman, Torkham and Wahga.
The plan has been chalked out with an objective to fully exploit the unique geo-strategic position of Pakistan and make it a potential hub of transit trade, official sources said. Apart from facilitating the smooth flow of trade at economical cost, NLC-operated Border Terminals have been playing important role in regulating cross border movement of cargo and passenger traffic, thus becoming an important component of the overall border management system.
The sources said that construction work was already underway on Terminals at Kharlachi in Kurram Agency and Ghulam Khan Khel in North Waziristan Agency that would be commissioned by mid January having requisite facilities for Customs, Immigration, Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF) and other government departments. Latest facilities at the Terminals were being developed including import/export yards, weigh stations, baggage scanners, fork lifters, tender fire crash etc.
Traders would be facilitated through one-window operation like simplified Customs procedures, immigration and smooth administrative processes. In the second phase other amenities like banking, telephone and internet services would also be set up at these terminals, they said adding another Border Terminal at Angoor Adda in South Waziristan had also been planned and construction work would commence after being operational of Kharlachi and Ghulam Khan Khel Border Terminals.
It is pertinent to mention here that NLC had extensive operational and management experience of running Border Terminals at key entry /exit points including Wahga, Torkham/Jamrud, and Chaman.
These terminals have played crucial role in regulating and boosting trade with neighbouring countries. Border Terminals at Ghulam Khan Khel, Kharlachi and Angoor Adda had their own significance as these facilities would drastically cut distance from DI Khan to Kabul through existing Indus Highway and planned CPEC Western Route. The shorter distance would reduce the transportation cost benefiting the trade to Afghanistan and Central Asian States.