KABUL: A number of drivers and local businessmen on Friday complained about extortion on highways, saying that they totally pay 150,000 for each truck on their way to Kabul and other parts of the country – when they import goods from abroad. The drivers said all the legal payments including the customs taxes cannot surpass 10,000 AFs. But according to them, they are ‘forced by local officials and powerful figures’ to pay up to 150,000 AFs for each truck on highways. “It costs us between 100,000 AFs to 150,000 AFs to pay for each truck to customs offices, high tonnage scale and municipality and to many individuals. We sell our goods for 180,000 AFs or 200,000 AFs. We benefit only 50,000 AFs but we spend it on repairing our vehicles,” said Nasir Ahmad, a truck driver. “Check posts are taking money (from us), municipality is taking money (from us) and nothing remains for us,” said Gul Ahmad, another driver. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) admitted the challenge, saying that MPs also have hand in the extortion. “In particular they (those who take money from drivers) are MPs, powerful figures and government officials,” the ACCI spokesman Siyam Psarlai said. According to ACCI, extortion, transit problems with regional countries particularly Pakistan are among biggest challenges for Afghan businessmen. Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation said they continue their efforts to overcome the problem. “We have prepared a draft plan which will be sent to the high council of economy. After its approval, the ministry will order the relevant organizations to implement it. The goal of the plan is to prevent waste of government’s incomes,” said Hekmatullah Qoyanj, spokesman for Ministry of Transportation. Reports indicate that the prices of commodities and goods have soared in local markets due to extortion on highways.
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