PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed concerns over shrinking trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Talking to a delegation of Torkham Clearing Agents Association here on Wednesday, SCCI president Zahidullah Shinwari said that the trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan had reduced from $2.5 billion to $7 million.

He said that it was duty of the federal government and Federal Board of Revenue to facilitate businessmen and stop imposing illogical decisions on them.

The delegation clearing agents was led by Nasir Shinwari while SCCI former president Haji Mohammad Afzal, Frontier Customs Agents Group president Ziaul Haq Sarhadi and Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice-president Faiz Mohammad Faizi were also present on the occasion.

Nasir Shinwari said that the documentation list issued by Customs Collectorate Peshawar had made export and import of goods between Pakistan and Afghanistan almost impossible.

He said that in the past at least 1,800 Pakistani trucks loaded with export goods would enter Afghanistan daily but the number had reduced to about 200 vehicles.

“The new documentation list includes, authorisation letter, proof of payment, trade agreement, grading and marketing certificate, membership registration, certificate of origin, copy of CNIS, animal quarantine certificate, authorisation letter for IP, registration of bank and import, certificate of origin from Afghanistan, copies of bilateral trade agreements and some other proofs,” said Mr Shinwari.

He said that such formalities had made bilateral trade between the two countries almost impossible. He urged SCCI to raise the issue at relevant forum and stop harassment of businessmen at Torkham.

The SCCI president said that the chamber leadership would take immediate steps to find solution to the problem by contacting FBR chairman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, federal minister for trade, secretary commerce and other authorities.

He said that SCCI had already written letters to the authorities concerned for withdrawal of the regulatory duty on hundreds of items. He said that the unwise steps had bad impact on the trade activities between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2017