PESHAWAR, Jan 17: Federal government’s decision allowing export of 18 more items through land route from NWFP to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs) has apparently failed to satisfy the NWFP trade and business circles, as they stick to their demand of total withdrawal of restrictions on trade through land from this part of the country to CARs.

Export of a total of 32 items is allowed from NWFP to Afghanistan and CARs.

Some 18 of the items were recently put on the list in line with a recently made announcement by the Minister for Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood.

But the government’s decision failed to elicit overwhelming appreciation from the trade and business circles of NWFP.

The traders and industrialists want the commerce ministry to lift over 10-year-long restrictions because it could not fulfil its purpose as the facility was continued to be misused by the unscrupulous elements among the businessmen of this part of the country.

“Whereas, the government is seeking assurances that the facility would not be misused, the unscrupulous elements are taking advantage of the situation by illegally transporting their products to Afghanistan in connivance with the government functionaries,” said a leading businessmen on request of anonymity fearing action by the official quarters.

The businessmen said although the government was lifting curbs in phases, the delay was causing considerable loss to the business interest of the country.

“India and Iran have already introduced their products in CARs and Afghanistan, but we are adopting a careful approach making a vast majority of the business community hostage to the misdeeds of a handful unscrupulous elements,” said Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, a leading exporter from Peshawar.

The NWFP businessmen, in this regard, failed to allay the reservations of the federal authorities including the ministers for finance, commerce and even those who have a little bit concern with trade.

Even, said Mr Sarhadi, the items allowed for export through land route from NWFP involved majority of those items which were manufactured in provinces other than the NWFP.

“Except for cement, the exportable items list does not contain any other significant item which would help the NWFP industrial sector,” said an officer of the provincial industries department.

Before the announcement of 18 more items on the list, a representative delegation of the members of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry held a meeting with the commerce minister pressing him to withdraw restrictions on the land route trade.

Similarly, couple of days after the commerce minister’s announcement, the trade and business circles of NWFP put forth their demands before the provincial governor.

But to no avail, as despite permission to export 32 items from NWFP to Afghanistan and CARs through land route the facility failed to cause any good to the national economy for being least beneficial to the local trade and industrial sectors.

“This would not work unless government lifts curbs and allows export of all items,” said Mustafa, a local industrialist.