PESHAWAR: Senior Vice President (Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has urged the government to reassess its Afghan transit trade policy following a significant shift of trade volumes to other international routes.
In a press statement here on Sunday, Sarhadi who is also Executive Member Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and President Frontier Custom Agents Association said that shifting of large portion of Afghan transit trade from Karachi port to port of other regional countries is a matter of serious concern for business community and policy makers as well.
Zia said the volume of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has reduced to less than one billion dollar which was more than two billion dollars around of couple of years earlier.
Making a comparison with regional countries, Zia said the trade volume between Afghanistan and Iran has touched the figure of around five billion dollars on annual basis. In the past, import to Afghanistan was more dependent Via Karachi port, but strict restrictions on Afghan transit cargo, especially in recent years, caused diversion of over 60 percent of transit from Karachi to regional countries, he claimed.
He gave the example of Khaf Herat railway track between Iran-Herat city Afghanistan where 100 wagons loaded with commercial cargo arrive from Iran to Rozanak station on daily basis bringing around 40,000 tonnes of goods on monthly basis.
Sarhadi also demanded segregation of politics from trade to avoid closure of Pak-Afghanistan borders on basis of disputes on political and other petty issues. He said in the recent past, Torkham border remained closed for more than one month over dispute of picket construction at zero point.
Trade cessation due to border closure not only inflicted huge losses on business community of both Pakistan and Afghanistan but also compelled Afghan businessmen to search for alternative route of trade in the region, he added.
SVP PAJCCI reiterated his request of review of Pak-Afghan trade policy to keep the commercial activities continue and flourish for the benefit of hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border.
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