GILGIT: Pakistan Customs on Thursday advised the protesting traders to lift restrictions on consignments lying at the Sost dry port after having been imported from China.

Besides, the Gilgit-Baltistan customs announced approaching the GB Chief Court with a request to vacate its orders halting the collection of taxes, sales tax and additional sales tax from traders on items imported from China.

Last month, Justice Raja Shakeel Ahmed of the Chief Court stopped FBR and Customs from collecting these taxes, observing the region was exempted from such taxes.

Local traders have been staging a sit-in for the past two weeks, blocking the Karakoram Highway (KKH) and suspending travel and trade between Pak­istan and China for implementation of the court directives.

Assistant Collector Customs Sost Imtiaz Shigri through a notice sent to GB Importers and Exporters Association president Muhammad Iqbal on Wednesday sought clearance of the customs premises.

“You are hereby strongly advised to clear the occupation of customs premises and allow the normal trade activity to flow. You are also strongly advised to clear your goods so that other traders have the opportunity to use the port,” read the notice.

Defying the notice, the traders continued their sit-in outside the dry port and KKH on Thursday. They announced that they would call off the protest only after their demands were fulfilled. Addressing the protesters, traders’ representatives Javed Hussain, Muhammad Abbas, Imtiaz Gilgiti and others accused the customs officials of insulting the Chief Court and GB Assembly.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2024