LANDI KOTAL: The customs authorities at Torkham border refused clearance to over 100 trucks carrying sugar to Afghanistan.

Local custom clearing agents said that 102 trucks loaded with sugar were sent back to National Logistic Cell terminal in Jamrud on Thursday after the authorities’ refusal to clear them for onward journey to Afghanistan.

They said that these trucks remained stranded at Torkham for almost a week for non-clearance.

Sugar exporters at Torkham claimed that they had deposited all the customs dues at the SBP branch for timely clearance, but even then they were not allowed to cross the border.

When contacted, the customs officials at Torkham insisted that they were awaiting official notification from their higher authorities regarding export of sugar.

“We can’t allow export of sugar to Afghanistan on our own and would wait till clear instructions from Islamabad,” they said.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2020