New customs rule sparks protest at Torkham border

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): New customs regulation regarding the issuance of one goods declaration (GD) form for one loaded vehicle has sparked a protest in the border town of Torkham.

Traders and custom clearing agents at the observed a partial strike on Monday against the regulation, saying they were informed of the policy on Monday morning.

Hundreds of loaded vehicles had already reached the border crossing for custom clearance by that time, the protestors said, adding they would previously clear several loaded vehicles with just one form.

The new measure would impeded the process of goods clearance according to Mujeedur Rehman, a local custom clearing agent, who said a delegation was in touch with custom officials.

If the issue was not resolved, they would go on an indefinite strike from Tuesday, suspending trade between Pakistan, he warned.

On the other hand, Assistant Collector of Customs Asma Javed claimed the new directives were in line with the Web-based One Custom (Weboc) system of clearing merchandise at the border.

She was quoted as saying by Dawn that the new directives would facilitate the procedure of goods examination. She called the move ‘part and parcel’ of the Weboc system, seeking transparency in the procedure.

“The protest by traders and custom clearing agents has no legal justification as a thorough examination and actual declaration of all sorts of goods is an integral part of our computerised system,” she insisted.

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