Restoration of old system for coal importers demanded

LANDIKOTAL: Torkham customs clearing agents and transporters on Thursday demanded the immediate restoration of the previous mechanism for clearing coal trucks arriving from Afghanistan via Torkham border crossing until a permanent solution is reached regarding the certificate of origin (COO).

Addressing a press conference at the Landikotal Press Club, president of all Torkham Customs Clearing Agents Association Mujeeb Khan Shinwari flanked by Ablan Shinwari, Amjad Shinwari and Al-Ittehad transport association vice-president Maulana Hazratullah said that hundreds of coal-laden trucks were stranded on both sides of the Torkham border, resulting in severe financial losses and hardship for traders, drivers and other workers involved in cross-border trade.

They said that several rounds of meetings had been held with officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, the Afghan ambassador and the ministry of commerce, who assured them that both countries would soon hold a joint session to finalise a permanent solution to the COO dispute.Mujeeb Khan Shinwari stressed that the certificate of origin should be limited to determining the origin of goods only but not their value or weight.