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PESHAWAR, Mar 12 (APP): Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fazal Moqeem Khan demanded abolishment of SRO-121, allowing loose cargo, launch of cargo train from Peshawar and pragmatic steps to make Azakhel dryport fully functional and elimination of rechecking of export-goods laden vehicles at Karachi port.
The SCCI chief called for review on custom duties/tariffs and immediate restoration of Pak-Afghan mutual trade through the Torkham border.
He made these demands while speaking to members during the visit of Chief Collector Custom Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khawaja Khurram Naeem here at the chamber house on Wednesday.
Meeting was attended by SCCI senior vice president Abdul Jalil Jan, former presidents Haji Muhammad Asif, Fuad Ishaq, Zahidullah Shinwari, Haji Muhammad Afzal, former vice president Malik Niaz Muhammad Awan, members of the chamber executive committee Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Ashfaq Ahmad, Nadeem Rauf, Gul Zaman, Sultan Muhammad, former provincial chief APECA Mushtaq Ahmad, Rashid Iqbal Siddiqui, Affaf Ali Khan, Atif Rasheed Khawaja, Mazharul Haq, Ihsanullah, Khalid Sultan Khawaja, Rehman Gul, Custom Clearing Agents, Secretary General Muqtasid Ahsan, traders, importers and exporters.
Collector Custom (Appraisement) Peshawar Mateen Alam, Custom Collector (Enforcement) Peshawar Ziaul Shams, PRO Custom Office Peshawar Aftab Ahmad were accompanied by Chief Collector Custom Khawaja Khurram during the visit to the chamber house.
Moqeem briefed the chief collector about traders’ reservations over closure of Torkham border for the last 21 days, bureaucratic hurdles in carrying out smooth trade, hurdles, ban on dollar declaration and other problems.
The SCCI chief said the business community has faced severe hardships owing to prevailing circumstances. He urged the government, customs department and other relevant authorities to facilitate traders under the one-window operation, because mutual trade, export and national economy would only flourish by easing difficulties of the business community.
He stated closure of Torkham border on petty issues was not only compounding miseries for traders but it also brought negative impacts on bilateral trade and economy of the both countries.
Approximately, 4 milion dollars bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan had suffered owing to the closure of the Torkham border for the last 21 days, Moqeem said.
Other speakers include former presidents Fuad Ishaq, Haji Muhammad Afzal, Zahidullah Shinwari, Faiz Muhammad Faiz addressed the meeting and pointed out hurdles in Pak-Afghan bilateral trade, discrepancies and drawbacks in policies and border management system, imposition of heavy duties tariffs, taxes and other issues and gave number of proposals for their resolution.
Later, Chief Collector Custom Khurram Naeem while responding to various queries of the participants stated that the Custom department is taking practical steps to carry out smooth cross border trade and export.He assured that the Customs department will take issue of border closure, along with other problems of the traders with relevant authorities and address them amicably.