KHYBER
Clearance agents, Torkham rejected get-in, new clearing policy of custom on export and demanded of resuming previous clearing procedure at the crossing.
However import and transit were exempted from the new policy, clearing agents said.
Under the auspices of the All Torkham Custom Clearing Agents Association(ATCCAA), a protest rally of clearing agents,Torkham was held at Michni check post on Monday.
The protestors while carrying black fags chanted slogans against the implementation of new clearing rules and declared it anti-trading policy of the custom department.
Addressing on the occasion Chairman ATCCAA, former President of the Association Aimal Shinwari and others said that the custom directed them to receive gate –in certificate, without prior conducting of scanner and scale of the import loaded vehicle.
If a contraband item was detected in the truck, coming from across the border, who would be responsible, they questioned.
They blamed that the concerned authorities on the pretext of declaring Michni checkpoint as the gate-in point of the export terminal deliberately created hurdles to suffer export.
They asked the custom department to resume the last course of action in the best interest of clearing agents as well as to enhance export to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
They threatened that until restoration of the previous procedure, they boycotted the clearing process at Torkham border.
According to the custom official, (Enforcement section) in Torkham said that as per fresh policy, the get-in certificate is a must to obtain prior of scanning and scale of the export loaded vehicle.
It is to be mentioned here that in 2014-15 Pakistan export volume at Torkham was approximately 1.5 billion dollars that was reduced to 969.04 million dollars in 2023.
