Afghan administration is playing in the hands of Indians and it was creating difficulties for Pakistani exporters, traders, suppliers by detaining their vehicles at different destinations. Afghani importers are discouraging the transit supply through Karachi port and they are encouraging the Chah Bahar and Bandar Abbas ports of Iran. All Pakistan Custom Agents Association (APCAA) Vice President Zia-ul-Haq
Sarhadi on Saturday urged the Afghan authorities to release some 2,000
Pakistani trucks and containers being held at Khor Maidan area near Torkham
border in Afghanistan since September 5. Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, who is also chairman Standing Committee of Sarhad
Chamber of Dry Port, in a press statement, said the trucks, which had carried
Afghan transit goods to Afghanistan from Karachi, were held on their way back
to Pakistan after unloading the goods on the plea that there was traffic rush
on the Pak-Afghan road.
He claimed that those drivers, who paid bribe to the Afghan officials, were
allowed to continue their journey.
Zia Sarhadi said holding of trucks by the Afghan authorities was burdening
the exporters with extra expenditure of penalty payment to shipping companies
and transporters. The shipping companies allowed free time of some seven to 14
days where a truck took 20 to 30 days to reach Jalalabad from Karachi, he added.
He said besides routine transportation of consignments, the exporters were
to pay demurrage of around dollar 120 to 160 per day to the shipping companies
and such delay on account of holding of truck by the Afghan authorities caused
additional loss to them.
vIt also caused shortage of trucks and containers in the market, resulting
into increase in the fare from Rs 150,000 to Rs 200,000 per container to Rs
300,000 to Rs 400,000, he added.
Zia claimed that due to 'unjustified increase' in expenditure of Good in
Transit Trade to Afghanistan (GITA) and Pak Afghan Transit Trade Agreement,
around 70 percent of transit trade business had been shifted from Karachi port
to Chabahar and Bandar Abbass ports in Iran.
He called for a review of the Transit Trade Agreement to increase bilateral
trade between the two countries.
Tags:
Trade