SCCI asks Afghan authorities to release Pakistani vehicles

PESHAWAR: The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has urged the Afghan authorities to release empty trucks and containers being held in Khor Maidan area near the Torkham border in Afghanistan.

Faiz Muhammad Faizi, president of the chamber, in a press statement here on Friday said that a large number of empty containers and trucks had been impounded in Khor Maidan due to slow clearing process at the border in Afghanistan, which was affecting the bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Afghan transit business and export process. The SCCI chief alleged that Pakistan traders and exporters were being charged Rs80,000 to Rs90,000 per empty container and truck before its clearance in Khor Maidan, which was completely unjust and unfair.

He urged the Afghan government to take notice of it and sought a permanent solution to the issue. Before that, Faizi added, the business community and exporters had suffered huge financial losses due to suspension of empty containers and trucks at Khor Maidan; however, he said the issue was resolved due to intervention of authorities concerned.

The chamber president said the Pakistan traders, especially those linked to transit trade business, were facing again the same issue because of impounding of a large number of empty Afghan transit vehicles at Khor Maidan, which is not only creating difficulties for Pakistani business community and exporters but also Afghan traders and importers will pay additional amount of Rs80,000 and Rs90,000, which was unacceptable to them.