Afghan right-hand vehicles banned

Officials claim they are dismantled and sold as spare parts in Pakistan


Umer Farooq November 13, 2020

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Customs has tightened the noose around individuals involved in illegal trade of auto parts through thePak-Afghan border. In its latest move, the agency is aiming to control vehicles that enter Pakistan only to be dismantled and sold as spare parts across the country.

Officials said these vehicles are used to transport goods from Afghanistan to Pakistan. After delivering the goods, some of these vehicles never return to Afghanistan.

“They are dismantled, and the parts are sold in local markets,” a senior Customs official said, adding that it is not just Torkham, but these vehicles enter through several points along the border.

According to details, left-hand drive vehicles, that are commonly used on the other side of the border, are being used for transportation of goods from the Afghanistan.

After entering Pakistan, they move freely to transport goods to different parts of the country. However, officials from the Customs department revealed that hundreds of right-hand drive vehicles have gone missing over the past several months after entering the country due to their value in the local market.

Subsequently, the authorities in Pakistan have imposed a ban on right-hand drive vehicles carrying goods into the country. “There are solid reasons to claim that these vehicles are being sold as parts inside Pakistan,” said the Customs official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Under the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement, vehicles are allowed to enter Pakistan to deliver goods. Upon arrival at the border, each transporter receives a pass to travel within the country.

Without the pass, these heavy vehicles are not allowed to enter Pakistan. Officials explained that most of these vehicles are left-hand drive and their parts have no value in the market in Pakistan.

“Only the ones that are right-hand-drive are dismantled and sold in the local markets.” “Vehicles manufactured by Hino, that arrive from Afghanistan, are sold in parts since it is commonly used in Pakistan,” confirmed the official. He was posted at the Pak-Afghan Torkham border crossing and is familiar with the situation.

According to details, the Customs officials have carried out a similar crackdown in the past when vehicles from Afghanistan went missing in Pakistan. When inquiries were made, the department found out that they were dismantled and sold as spare parts across the country.“We have imposed a ban and are watching the situation very closely,” said the Customs official.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2020.

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