Slow clearance in Pakistan behind stranded trucks

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The governor of eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday said hundreds of trucks remained stuck at Torkham crossing due to slow customs clearing on the Pakistani side.

A number businessmen and drivers on Wednesday said that hundreds of trucks loaded with grapes, tomatoes, onion and potatoes and fruits have been waiting at Torkham crossing to enter Pakistan.

Haji Zmari, a businessman from Nangarhar province, said some of the fresh fruits and vegetables had decayed and if the problem was not resolved quickly, the entire materials would be destroyed, which would inflict millions of afghanis in losses on them.

Nangarhar Governor Ziaul Haq Amarkhel said that the Torkham port had been completely closed for commercial goods due to the Coronavirus for few months but it was later reopened with special attention from the government.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News that about 10,000 containers of Afghan traders were stranded at the Karachi port. Fortunately, their transportation process has started and on an average 700 trucks crossed the Torkham every day.

“But unfortunately on average up to 350 Pakistan-bound trucks cross the Torkham port every day due scanning, checking and weighing issues on the Pakistan side that has left 7,500 trucks stranded in Torkham port amid fears the goods are being damaged.”

The governor said within the past one month, around 16,976 trucks arrived in Afghanistan or 628 trucks a day, but within the same period about 9,497 entered Pakistan or 351 trucks per day.

According to him, before the Covid-19 lockdown, there was no scan and scales across the Durand Line. “The main problem is the delay in the processing of empty and loaded trucks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”.

Amarkhel said the issue needed to be resolved through diplomatic channels between the two nations.

He also called on national traders to ensure discipline and full punctuality in the export process. he said if a government employee or institution was found engaged in illegal activities, corruption and bribery, it should be reported to the governor’s house.

pk/ma

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