May 20, 2002	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1423

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GILGIT, May 19: In a press conference, the Northern Areas Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NACCI), demanded that the government withdraw the Qasim Rangers from the Sost border. The troops have recently been deployed to supervise the activities along the border.

The NACCI members alleged that the rangers had been creating obstacles in regard to the smooth conduction of border trade between the Northern Areas and the Chinese province of Xingiang. They claimed the rangers were encroaching upon the powers of the customs officials, FIA and the police.

The NACCI also condemned the extortion and harassment of the traders by the rangers on one pretext or another and questioned the legitimacy of the rangers to collect customs duties on imported freight.

They further complained that the rangers personnel had been forcing the traders to get their sealed consignments and freight re-examined at various points between Khunjerab and Sost, even though the traders were getting their goods inspected in China before shipment to Pakistan.

They claimed that the rangers meddling in commercial affairs and their careless attitude have had a negative impact on traders across the border. Due to the presence of the rangers along Sost, the Chinese traders were reluctant to visit the Northern Areas. This has led to zero registration of bill of entries (BoIs) in the current trading season as compared to 2,000 BoIs in the previous year.

They argued that since the Sost customs post did not fall under the purview of the central board of revenue (CBR), therefore the enforcement of new duties and taxes is unjustified. The NACCI criticized the involvement of too many agencies in the duty collection as it was paralyzing trade activities given the lack of a legitimate duty collecting authority.

The NACCI demanded the abolishing of all sorts of taxes on the people of the Northern Areas because these areas have been exempt from taxes under the universal rule of “no representation, no taxation.” Abdul Latif, Senior Vice-President of NACCI, Hafizur Rahman, Vice president, Shahid Khan and Ziaur Rahman addressed the press conference.