Pak, Afghan govts urged to facilitate businessmen

PESHAWAR: The business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has urged the Pakistan and Afghanistan governments to facilitate traders of both the countries to strengthen bilateral ties.

The two sides have also decided to hold goods exhibitions in Kabul and Lahore. The decision was announced at the meeting of Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Dr Abdullah Waheed Poyan with the representatives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) at the Chamber House here on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, KPCCI President Muhammad Afzal asked the authorities to forthwith stop receiving Rs10,000 from each Afghanistan-bound cargo truck in the name of land route tax.

The Afghan consul general was accompanied by Afghan Trade Commissioner Mirwais Yousafzai, while vice-president of KPCCI, former president of the Chamber Fuad Ishaq and senior vice president Afghan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (APJCCI) Ziaul Haq Sarhadi were among those assisted Haji Afzal at the meeting.

KPCCI chief informed the Afghan team of the difficulties the Pakistani truckers carrying different goods were facing at the hands of the authorities.He said the traders and truckers had to pay illegal taxes in the name of land route tax and asked the concerned quarters to immediately stop receiving this levy.

The KPCCI chief also asked both the country to rise above politics and provide facilities to traders on both sides. Afghan consul general assured the traders and business community that he would take the matter with the Nangarhar governor and other concerned quarters.