Traders suffer $1.5mn daily due to Durand Line closure

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Afghan businessmen incur $1.5 million loss daily as a result of the closure of three crossing points on Durand Line, officials of the Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce (NCC) said on Sunday.

Thousands of trucks, trailers loaded and unloaded are waiting on both sides of Torkham Crossing in Nangarhar, Ghulam Khan Crossing in Khost and Spinboldak Crossing in Kandahar provinces.

NCC officials warned if the government did not work for the reopening of these crossings the already soaring prices of essential items will further jump.

NCC Member Haji ZalmayAzami said due to the closure of crossing points businessmen suffered huge losses and as a result there was surge in fuel and essential items prices.

He warned if the problem of crossings’ closure did not resolve and the authorities did not talk to Pakistani officials, the price of fuel and food items will further increase in the country.

Khan Jan Alkozay, member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), said an agreement has been reached with Kyrgyzstan for the purchase of flour and cooking oil and this agreement will help stabalize the prices.

He said businessmen only added transport charges to food items and supplied them to the market.

Earlier, the cabinet has decided to cut duty on food items --- flour, sugar, cooking oil and businessmen reduced the prices by 40 percent.

But still the prices of flour, cooking oil and other essential items are at all-time high in big cities and most of the people are unable to buy them.

Ghulamullah, a resident of Nangarhar and rickshaw driver, said he could not afford to buy a 10-litre bottle of cooking oil.

He said from one side the prices of essential items were too high and from another side there was unemployment and no work.

It is worth mentioning that in most parts of the country, the price of a 50-kilogram sack of flour stands at 2,500 afs while 10-litre cooking oil at 1,500 afs.

Nh/ma