Suspension of scanning at Torkham worries SCCI

Around 2,500 trucks, including those carrying perishable goods, are stuck at the Torkham border

PESHAWAR:

President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muhammad Ishaq has expressed serious concern over the suspension of the scanning process of Afghan transit trade and export cargo vehicles at the Torkham crossing.

The SCCI chief urged the relevant authorities and senior officials to take notice and issue directives for the restoration of the scanning process so that traders and Pak-Afghan transit trade and exports can be saved from loss. In a press statement, Muhammad Ishaq said that around 2,500 transit and export trucks, including perishable goods have stuck up at the Torkham borders due to the suspension of the scanning process, which has adversely affected the trade and export process.

Ishaq said that according to reliable sources, the scanning process of PakAfghan Transit Trade and export cargo vehicles was stopped due to the ongoing construction work on a terminal. The chamber president urged that along with the construction of the terminal, initiatives should be taken to ensure the smooth passage of Pak-Afghan transit and export because the further decline in bilateral trade and exports is not in the best interest of Pakistan’s economy and business community. Ishaq said the scanning process should be restored before Eid so that the business community could be saved from financial losses due to halting and demurrage charges.

The SCCI chief appealed to the Inspector General Frontier Corps and other authorities concerned to take immediate notice of the stopping of thousands of cargo vehicles and issue orders to start the scanning process as soon as possible so that mutual trade and exports can be increased so that would put the country’s economy on the path of stability and development.