‘Modern terminal at Torkham border to boost trade with Afghanistan, C Asia’

Transit Trade Management System is expected to complete by July 2023, says official

TORKHAM:

A modern terminal is being constructed at the Torkham border crossing in line with international standards in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to boost economic activities on the Pak-Afghan border.

The state-of-the-art Integrated Transit Trade Management System (ITTMS) is under construction and expected to increase the country’s trade volume with Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries.

The construction of the project will facilitate the clearance of trade goods under one window system for bilateral trade with Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries.

Additional Collector Customs Torkham Muhammad Tayyab told The Express Tribune that this is a mega project of customs department and it will be completed by July 2023 at a cost of over Rs16.60 billion in collaboration with ADB.

Also read: 'Trade with Central Asian countries under TIR ​​agreement increasing pace'

He said that Pakistan had signed a trade facilitation agreement with World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2015 and Pakistan had achieved 80% of the targets of the agreement. Thus, Pakistan moved from 136th to 108th position in the World Bank rankings. “One window system has been introduced for clearance of commercial items at Torkham border.” After completion of the project, the terminal will be able to accommodate more than 500 cargo vehicles at a time.

The additional collector further said that the new terminal would save time and cost for cargo vehicles and enable traders to earn more profit in less time and at a lower cost.

The additional collector said that a customs station building would also be constructed at Torkham Transit Terminal which will be equipped with modern facilities including online system. Under this system, he said 77 different agencies and departments will be connected with customs. In this regard, Deputy Collector Customs Torkham, Amanat Khan said that there has been a gradual innovation in the bilateral trade and clearance system at the Torkham border crossing. He said that in 1980 there was a manual system for clearance of commercial goods. The online system was introduced in 1992.

Another modern system was introduced in 2005 for the clearance of commercial goods, while traders and transporters now use the modern system, he added.

Following the completion of ITTMS project, traders and economists expect that the country's exports are expected to increase by 37 per cent, he maintained.

Multiple-entry visas for Afghan transporters

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that the federal cabinet has decided to issue six-month multiple-entry visas to transporters from Afghanistan.

Also read: PM Shehbaz gives nod to new transit visas for Afghans

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad earlier today, Marriyum said that a decision has been taken to boost trade volume with Central Asia and Afghanistan.

She said the cabinet has also approved new visa rules for Afghan citizens under which Pakistan's consulates all over the world will process the visas of Afghan citizens by considering their current nationality and passport instead of their country of origin.

She said to promote trade with Afghanistan, a sub-category has been included in the work visa category under which drivers, transporters and helpers have been included in online visa system.                   

She said for multiple-entry visa, the six months period will be extendable to one year subject to approval by the Ministry of Interior.

The minister said to promote trade and create ease of doing business in the country, Afghan workers and traders have been exempted from Board of Investment's recommendation letter and SECP registration requirements.       

She said NADRA has been directed to make necessary changes in the online system in this regard and a cabinet sub-committee has also been formed for further ease of doing business.

She said visa regime review also includes relaxation of visa provision for Afghan patients.

(With additional input from APP)