K-P traders, agents want gaps at Torkham’s 24/7 terminal plugged

Point to the early closure of banks, power outages, fewer scanning lines

LANDI KOTAL: While many celebrated the inauguration of the first-ever around-the-clock terminal at the Torkham border, local custom agents at the border have complained that the government must look to address some gaps in the overall gamut of services required for the efficient operation of the terminal, including some of which is not directly in the terminal.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, local Customs Clearance Agent Ablan Ali Shinwari complained that while the modern terminal and the 24 hour operation timings are great for traders, they are facing a bottleneck in the form of limited timings for banks and other financial institutions in the area, some of which are necessary for completing certain procedures. “All the banks and financial institutions [in the area] close down after 3pm,” Shinwari lamented.

He went on to add that while the appreciate the promises made by Prime Minister Imran Khand and how he had kept them by completing the terminal at the border. However, he said that unless all allied facilities are provided, these promises will never fully mature into concrete measures for boosting trade at the border post.

The customs agent went on to say that the terminal, its offices and its allied facilities — especially for officers, traders and customs agents — require the supply of uninterrupted power to ensure that the clearing process is quick and efficient. He further complained that scanners installed at the checking points frequently breakdown, often several times a day. Moreover, he said that containers sometimes take days to be cleared by the authorities.

“Their poor optical fibre internet, unannounced load-shedding, insufficient scanners at the clearance point, extra measures from Afghan and lethargy of officials on both sides of the border make the process quite complicated and slow,” Shinwari lamented, adding that such measures, will not yield the required results.

“We demand that there should be multiple lines for entry and exit at the border while a special line should be created for the sick and old and those who have relatives living on the other side of the border,” said another custom clearances agent Shahjehan Shinwari.

“Financial institution such as banks shut down around noon and officials charge extra for additional tokens issued by the bank at the border, “he complained. An official at the clearance office, who did not wish to be named because he was not allowed to speak to the media, demanded that the State Bank of Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan take action against the corrupt mafia.

A local traders association also demanded that trade should be neutralized if the government wants to further enhance trading activities. They further demanded that trade at the border should be separated from the political tensions which flare up between Islamabad and Kabul.

“We demand that all facilities should be provided at the border so that trade ties between Islamabad and Kabul are strengthened for the economic revival of the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas (Fata),” the traders association demanded. Last week, after multiple delays, PM Imran finally inaugurated the new, 24/7 facility at Torkham. Talking about the facility at the inauguration ceremony, Imran said that the decision to keep the border open for 24 hours a day would greatly benefit the region. “The opening of the border will bring prosperity to the region. It will provide access to Pakistani goods to the Central Asian markets,” he said.

“We will increase bilateral trade with Afghanistan by 50% to $3.5 billion annually,” Imran Khan said. “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also reap benefits of this trade route, as Peshawar will become an economic hub in the region,” the prime minister added.

The terminal, though, has been started on a trial basis. The National Logistics Cell (NLC), in coordination with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government, completed arrangements for the terminal.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2019.