December 27, 2001	Thursday	Shawwal 11, 1422

ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: The import value of Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) fell by 99.95 per cent to Rs0.367 million in November against Rs846.799 million during the same month last year.

Official figures released by the Central Board of Revenue on Wednesday showed that the total import value of ATT in the first five months of the current financial year declined by 15.82 per cent to Rs3.655 billion this year against Rs4.342 billion over the corresponding months of last year.

On monthly basis, the import value of ATT declined by 55.65 per cent to Rs0.298 million in October of the current financial year against Rs0.672 million over the corresponding month of the last year.

Since September 11 incident, however, it was only September in which the ATT value had witnessed an increase of 43.87 per cent to Rs1.21 billion against Rs0.841 billion during the same month last year.

The sources attributed the shortfall in the import value to the recent developments in the region. Due to the US-led attacks traders were reluctant to take their goods into Afghanistan on the plea that it was not safe.

The Afghan traders have formally sent a request to the Pakistan government, demanding to allow them to clear their goods in Pakistan while paying full duty.

The ATT goods are lying in Quetta, Chaman and Peshawar for its onward transportation to Afghanistan.