KHYBER
Lack of coordination between custom and forces has suffered trade at Torkham border. If the forces do not expedite the examination process at the crossing and relief is not provided to the businessmen community, they will initiate strike against it.
The views were expressed by Mirajuddin,Aimal Shinwari,Azeemullah and other office bearers of Torkham clearance agent association and Torkham transport union in a joint press conference held here in Landi Kotal press club, district Khyber on Friday. Flanked by scores of clearing agents they said that for months, the slow process of examination of export and import vehicles experienced loss to the trade community.
They maintained that previously more than 2600 export, import loaded trucks were cleared daily at the border however due to shortage of concerned departments at the crossing, it dropped to 150 to 200 vehicles round the clock.
Due to the delayed pace of clearance and examination, miles long queues of export loaded vehicles could be witnessed in Khyber, that multiplied miseries of the truckers, they opined.
They also criticize the Afghan government for suspending the border for a long time daily and it resumed only seven hours around the clock.
They demanded of the Inspector General Frontier Corp (IGFC) Chief Collector, custom to address the matters and formulate pro-traders policy at the border.
The clearing agents and transporters threatened that if relief was not provided to them they would have no other option but to give up clearance process and to block Pak-Afghan highway for all kinds of movements.
