LANDIKOTAL
Traders,custom clearing agents and tribal elders on Monday praised Frontier Crops(FC)- North for easing Torkham’s traffic congestion and urged a permanent solution to ensure smooth movement on the Pak-Afghan Highway.
Speaking at press conference at district Khyber press club(Regt) Malik Tajuddin and Malik Zakir and custom agents association president Mujeeb Shinwari said that they stated that for a long time, hundreds of freight vehicles were stranded in long queues, disrupting tribal traditions and causing severe hardships for women and patients.
They said due to heavy congestion, the road would frequently be blocked, leaving trucks stranded for weeks, causing immense distress to transporters.They thanked the FC KP (North) authorities for their efforts in resolving this prolonged issue, ensuring a smooth flow of traffic.
“Previously, a vehicle took a week to travel from Peshawar to the National Logistic Cell(NLC) yard in Torkham but now it reaches Torkham in just three hours. This is a welcoming development,” Mujeeb said.
President of the customs clearing agents association, Mujeeb Shinwari, also appreciated FC KP (North) officials for eliminating illegal payments at Torkham, which were in violation of FBR SOPs. He assured that their association did not support any form of illegal business at the Torkham border and praised the FC KP (North) authorities for facilitating trade, which was now on a path of improvement.
Former president Hazrat Umar acknowledged that stopping corruption had benefited traders immensely, saving them millions of rupees. However, he raised concerns about the sustainability of the current policies.
“What will happen when the present setup changes? Will the new administration maintain these reforms, or will we be pushed back into darkness and left at the mercy of institutions once again?” Mujeeb questioned.
The speakers urged Corps Commander Peshawar and IG FC (North) to establish a bank at Zero Point in Torkham to prevent illegal transactions. They also demanded full security for traders until a bank was operational and called for the immediate activation of a digital scanner to further enhance transparency and efficiency at the border.
