KURRAM: Traders doing import-export business of edible items with Afghanistan have said that the newly-introduced mechanism, Weboc, for declaration and clearance of goods is not functioning at Kharlachi border crossing in Kurram district due to lack of smooth power supply and Internet facility.

Addressing a press conference at Parachinar Press Club the other day, they said that the introduction of the Weboc system – web-based one custom – had resulted in slowing down clearance of goods at the border.

Due to hours-long loadshedding, unavailability of internet and online banking facilities, the local traders faced difficulties to export or import edible items to and from Afghanistan that resulted in financial losses to them.

Malik Adil Khan told the press conference that traders wanted a simplified system with all basic facilities to easily file their goods for clearance. He said that the area had neither smooth electricity supply nor internet facilities to file for online goods clearance. He said that signal jammers had been installed on the Afghan side of the border which interrupted the communication system.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2020