Daily Times

Karachi: The cost of trucking is continuously rising following the suspension of trade activities between Pakistan and Afghanistan from Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate at Chaman border. The bilateral trade remained suspended on the 13th consecutive day on Tuesday.

All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association (APOTOA) has claimed that around 3000 trucks on both sides of border are waiting for permission to cross. Some of the trucks carrying perishable goods have been directed towards Torkham border while rest were waiting for the green signal to cross over. “Our cost is constantly increasing due to immobility of trucks at the borders” said Israr Ahmed Shinwari, Spokesman for APOTOA.

Talking to Daily Times, Israr Ahmed said that truck owners were compelled to incur daily losses of around Rs 10,000 per truck on account of salaries of drivers, cleaners and helpers. Accumulated cost has increased to millions of rupees during the last couple of days due to suspension of truck’s movements, Israr Ahmed added. He said that issue of visa and passport was compounding their problems as they were unable to retain staff, drivers, cleaners and helpers, on permanent basis. “They keep changing their jobs and employers which makes it difficult for us to maintain their record for visa etc. “, Israr Ahmed added.