Clearance of trucks carrying seeds sought

PESHAWAR: At least 50 trucks carrying seeds have been allegedly stopped at the Torkham border crossing after clearance of Custom duties as the Plant Protection Department has yet to clear the vehicles in 22 long days causing losses worth millions of rupees to the stakeholders concerned.

The people involved in import-export business, traders and transporters have complained of suffering huge losses on a daily basis due to the alleged flaws in the system causing unbearable losses to them.

An official of the Plant Protection Department, Maaz Ali told The News that the trucks/items were not having Harmonised System (HS) codes due to which they referred its samples to the relevant authorities in Karachi Head Office and were waiting for their response.

The items are being brought to Pakistan from Afghanistan.

Amir Khan Shinwari, a Customs clearance agent at Torkham border, said that the clearance by plant protection and other departments should be done swiftly so that the traders and transporters may not suffer such huge losses.

He told reporters that the vehicles were on their way to the country from Afghanistan in connection with bilateral trade. They were having all the required documentation and they had already been cleared by the Customs authorities, he added.

Still, they have been stopped at the borders and are not being allowed to move ahead, he said.

He urged the top bosses of the Plant Protection Department to upgrade the system in Torkham so that the vehicles could be cleared at the earliest.

The drivers of the stranded vehicles are also concerned about the safety of the trucks and the loaded goods.

They said that the delay in clearance was causing huge financial losses besides physical and mental fatigue.