Afghanistan allows 2,000 Pak trucks to return

PESHAWAR: Afghanistan on Monday allowed 2,000 containers and trucks transporting trade goods to the war-ravaged country to enter Pakistan.

Additional Director Afghan Transit Trade, Peshawar, Amjad Rehman said this as he met the Senior Vice-President of Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ziaul Haq Sarhadi.

Additional Director Transit Trade Ziaul Shams and Deputy Director Dr S. Faisal Bukhari were also present.Amjad Rehman said the issue was taken up in a meeting with the Afghanistan border and Customs authorities and they allowed the trucks and containers to enter Pakistan.

He said the Afghan authorities allowed 2,000 trucks and containers parked in Khwar Maidan area on the Afghan side of the border to enter Pakistan,  adding the rest of the containers and trucks would soon be permitted to cross into the country.

The official said the Afghanistan border and Customs authorities had also agreed to keep the border crossing open till 10pm daily to enable the empty trade goods trucks and containers to enter Pakistan. Ziaul Haq Sarhadi thanked Amjad Rehman for cooperation and called for reviewing the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade agreement to enhance the trade between the two neighbouring countries.

It may be mentioned here that Afghanistan had allegedly stopped around 25,00 empty Pak trucks and containers which transport trade goods across the border. The business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had alleged that the Afghan authorities had taken the action to force the businessmen to pay them extra charges, a claim denied by the Afghan authorities.