ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: Pakistan will provide training to around 40 customs officials of Afghanistan as a first step to help Kabul in establishing an effective customs administration system in the country.

Member customs Ramzan Bhatti told Dawn on Monday that the decision among others was taken following the request by the Afghan government.

The member along with other two senior customs officials had visited Kabul last week

to identify areas where necessary assistance would be provided.

He said that this training would be followed by a special training for the trainers who would train fresh customs officials in future to be inducted in the customs administration in Afghanistan. The member customs said at the request of the Afghan government, the training would be provided in Pakistan.

Apart from this, he said about five senior customs officials would be posted in Kabul for supervision of the whole customs administration system in Afghanistan. He, however, said the criteria for selection of these postings in Afghanistan and their financing were yet to be decided.

According to the member, funds for the training would be provided by World Bank and to some extent by the Pakistani government. He said that final decision about the funding was expected by the end of current month.

Mr Bhatti said Pakistan would also help Afghanistan in establishing customs laboratories for checking imported chemicals and other products for duty valuation purposes.

He said at the moment small laboratories would be set up in Afghanistan to help the customs officials in determining the value of imported chemicals and other products.

Afghanistan had one of the best customs laboratories in the region. It was located in Kabul, but was destroyed during the Russia-Afghan war.

The member said that during their stay in Kabul, the customs officials visited Kabul Customs House and Kabul Airport to identify areas for technical and any other support to be provided by the Pakistani customs officials.