Efforts urged to boost Pak-Afghan trade

LANDIKOTAL: The customs and border officials on Wednesday said they were working to resolve the genuine problems of the traders to boost Pak-Afghan trade.

They were speaking at a meeting at the Torkham border. Director Transit and Trade Arbab Qaisar Hameed chaired the meeting.

Commandant Khyber Rifles Col Rizwan, Additional Collector Customs Muhammad Rizwan, Amanullah Khan, Major Sharjeel, Federal Investigation Agency officer Shafqat Jamal, Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Transporters Union president Azeemullah Shinwari attended the meeting. The Afghan commercial attaché in Peshawar consulate Waheedullah and Maulvi Khaksar were also invited to the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Arbab Qaisar said the genuine problems of traders would be resolved on priority basis. He said it was the foremost priority of customs officials to provide facilities to boost trade with Afghanistan. Ziaul Haq Sarhadi said a number of decisions were taken in the meeting to help the business community. He said the slow documentation process and clearance at the Torkham border was the longstanding issue of traders. The traders and Afghan border officials raised trade related issues and asked the officials to ease border restrictions that negatively affected trade activities.