LAHORE, Jan 23: Some Pakistani contractors are said to have been approached by foreign firms working in Afghanistan to supply construction equipment (on rent) for the reconstruction work they have been awarded by the Afghan government.

However, All Pakistan Contractors Association chairman Akber Shaikh told Dawn here on Wednesday, the contractors were facing problems at the hands of the customs authorities in moving machinery. “They (the customs authorities) are not aware of the fact that SRO 68(i)/2001 allowed the movement of machinery to Afghanistan on submission of a simple undertaking to the customs that the machinery would be imported back on completion of works,” he said.

Shaikh said he was aware of at least one case in which the customs authorities refused to allow “export” of a bulldozer to Afghanistan under the said SRO because they were not aware of its existence. He said it was just the beginning of the works in the war-torn country. “If we fail to capitalize on this opportunity, we will lose the market. They (the foreign firms) would import materials and equipment from Iran and elsewhere in the region,” he warned.