Up to 817 goods trucks cross border

PESHAWAR: Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) has welcomed the improvement in the trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan as around 817 trucks crossed the border in 24 hours on Tuesday.

A press release issued here on Wednesday said, the chamber’s vice-president, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi congratulated Zubair Motiwala, Chairman, PAJCCI, Co-Chairman, Khan Jan Alokozai and other stakeholders for their efforts aimed at promoting trade in the region, in general, and in Pakistan and Afghanistan, in particular.

Sharing the details of trucks which passed through the Torkham border during the last 24 hours, Sarhadi said around 382 were carrying export goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan, while 435 brought goods from Afghanistan, making a total of 817.

He commended cooperation and support extended by departments concerned, including the Federal Board of Revenue, Customs, National Logistic Cell and others in expediting the clearance of goods-laden trucks, thus paving the way for an increase in trade.

Sarhadi said improvement in trade is of prime importance in the creation of job opportunities in a region which is already faced with poverty and deprivation.

The Pak-Afghan trade is a potential source for the creation of livelihood for thousands of people and can bring about prosperity in the region which has been badly impacted by terrorism and militancy, he added. Sarhadi hoped the promotion of Pak-Afghan trade would benefit hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border.

He hoped the completion of the PAJCCI-sponsored meetings of stakeholders of Pak-Afghan trade would bear more fruits and improve the bilateral trade between the two countries.