Daily Times

KHYBER AGENCY: Because of anti-trading policies adopted by the Pakistani government pertaining business with Afghanistan, the Afghan traders are inclined to other alternatives in form of Iran, India and China.

Some years back, Afghanistan was remained, third largest countries that Pakistan exported but that remained one-third due to political problems, policy and operational issues.

These views were expressed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Zahidullah Shinwari while talking at a press briefing to media persons on his visit to Torkham custom office on Wednesday.

Flanked by his cabinet members including senior vice president Muhammad Naeem, vice president Malik Niaz, former senior vice president Muhammad Shafiq and Pak-Afghan Chamber of Commerce Director Ziaul Haq Sarhadi and Zahidullah Shinwari said that Pakistan trade policy and Federal Board of Revenue had some discriminatory clauses regarding trading with Afghanistan that suffered business between the two neighboring countries.

“The anti-business schemes of the government not only affect businessmen but also has inflicted loss at national exchequer as the trading volume has decreased to $500 million from $2.5 billion via Torkham with Afghanistan and if the government is not revised its policies beside of numberless reminders from the business country, time is near that trade with Afghanistan will end,” Zahidullah Shinwari argued.

He maintained that as much as departments would be engaged in trading activities, the more business acts would be affected therefore he suggested to apply simple and one window clearing process at Torkham border, introduced by custom department in other parts of the country to boost trade.

Regarding unavailability of basic facilities in Torkham, he said government strived hard to solve issues of electricity, net etc necessary for online custom clearance, he added.

Earlier, Torkham Custom Centre Additional Collector Ziaullah Shams appraised the visiting guests of the facilities being provided to the trading communities for clearing process.

Representatives of Torkham clearing associations also called on the KP chamber officials and informed them of their problems being faced by them.

Published in Daily Times, May 3^rd 2018.