PESHAWAR: The traders and clearing agents on Friday complained about the new Afghan Transit Trade Agreement and demanded the immediate end to the monopoly of bonded carriers and safe transportation of consignments of importers and exporters.

The demand was made by a delegation of traders and clearing agents during a meeting with Transit Trade Pakistan director general Javed Ghani here at the Transit Trade Directorate.

Director of the organisation Fayyaz Anwar, additional director Ziaul Shams, director Dr Adeem Khan and deputy director Amin were also present on the occasion.

According to a statement issued here, the delegates led by Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry senior vice president Ziaul Haq Sarhadi also called for the activation of the tracking system.

They complained about difficulties in the examination of goods in Karachi and said in the past, Pakistan Railways used to bear the losses but the bonded carriers had shifted the burden to traders.

The delegates also called proper arrangements at the NLC-operated terminal in Jamrud to scan 45 feet containers.

Mr. Sarhadi said after the new agreement was made, 70 per cent of Afghan transit trade cargo shifted to Chahbahar and Bandar Abbass ports of Iran from Karachi port.

“According to an estimate, the shifting of the trade cargo to Iran has inflicted an annual loss of Rs12-Rs14 billion to the country with hundreds of clearing agents, border agents, labourers, transporters and ATT related businessmen lost employment. In this light, there is a need for its review to bring the Afghan cargo back to Karachi,” he said.

Haji Gul Afzal Shinwari and other delegates demanded the inclusion of two customs agents of Peshawar in the Peshawar directorate to resolve the problems of their community members from both Karachi and Peshawar.

The DG assured the delegates of steps to address the problems of traders and customs clearing agents.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2016