Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Director Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has demanded to quickly carry out commitments made with the business community on accelerating Pak-Afghan trade. In a stakeholder meeting held by the PAJCCI in Peshawar, Islamabad, and Chaman (Baluchistan), he said a number of assurances were given to businesspeople regarding demands they had made in relation to obstacles that were delaying the smooth flow of trade.

Different issues were brought up in the meetings, including high labour costs, improper handling of cargo during loading and unloading on the Afghan side, tax on transit goods, a low clearance rate for empty containers, limited hours at border crossings for clearance and movement, delay and high rejection rates in the processing of visas for Afghan businessmen, and the persistence of 47,000 TI forms by the Afghan side despite repeated reminders and communication.

He continued by pointing out that another important problem is Karachi's slow processing of goods, which used to take a day or two but now takes at least five to six days, increasing the time and cost of doing business as delayed returns are affected by detention and demurrage fees, which are further exacerbated by rising fuel prices and dollar parity.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk