PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Customs has decided in principles to make Azakhel Dry Port operational by January 15, 2016 while the prevailing dry port of Peshawar Cantonment will also remain intact.
The decision was taken during a visit of Collector Customs, Peshawar, Qurban Ali Khan along with Additional Collectors, Aftab Haider, Syed Fazal Samad, Adeem Khan and Deputy Collector, Dry Port, Zakir Khan.
On this occasion, DCO Pakistan Railways, Omar Riaz, chairman, Frontier Customs Agents Group KP, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi and other members of the group were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, the Collector Customs, Qurban Ali Khan said that they are very much serious about Azakhel Dry Port and his visit is ample proof of it. He termed Azakhel Dry Port better than the prevailing Dry Port in Peshawar Cantonment and will be operationalize soon.
He said that before the operationalization of Azakhel Dry Port they will review all those aspects and requirements. However, DCO Pakistan Railways Omar Riaz said that the place site is presently with World Food Programme (WFP) and will be handed over to Pakistan Railways by the end of the current calendar year.
Omar Riaz said that Pakistan Railways is also keen in the operationalizing of the dry port, but the site also has some infrastructure related problems. In this connection, he said that a PC-I had already been prepared, but, it will take some time. However, Pakistan Customs and Pakistan Railways have evolved consensus that the dry port will be operationalize by January 15, 2015.
