Clearance of goods: PAJCCI concerned over excessive documentation

PESHAWAR: Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) director Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi on Tuesday expressed concern over excessive documentation and demand of irrelevant documents at Karachi sea port causing delay in clearance of containers imported under Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA).

In a statement, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, who is also the president of Frontier Customs Agents Association, said the practice of excessive documentations was not only causing delay in clearance of goods, but also diversion of trade to sea ports of other countries, including Chabahar and Bandar Abbas in Iran.

The Afghan traders, Zia added, had conveyed their concern and resentment to PAJCCI regarding demand of unnecessary documents during clearance of goods at Karachi port imported under the Afghan Transit Trade facility.

Leading Afghan traders, including Khan Jan Alkozey who is also Co-Chairman of PAJCCI, Youna Mohmand, president of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and government representatives recently held a press conference in Kabul to raise this issue that was affecting the business, he added.

The Afghan businessmen said they were not facing such kind of hindrances while importing goods from other countries, he added.

He demanded the quarters concerned to take notice of this practice which was not only causing delay in clearance of goods, but was negatively affecting revenue generation due to shifting of business to ports of other countries.

Zia Sarhadi said thousands of people were associated with Pak-Afghan Transit trade from landing of imported goods in Karachi to its transportation from sea port to Afghanistan. “And if the business is shifted to other countries it will render hundreds of thousands of people jobless,” he added.