QUETTA: Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Vice President Engineer Daroo Khan Achakzai discussed the matter of Standing Order 1/14 issued by the Customs House Quetta with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Bajwa and member customs and asked them to withdraw the said order.
According to the standing order, it is required that the bill of lading (Bilti) for all the goods destined to Afghanistan must be stamped either at Beleeli or Sheela Bagh check posts before entering the Chaman border..
This practice has discouraged the local traders of Chaman to carry out exports to Afghanistan legally and will have detrimental effects on the overall trade quantum, specifically through Chaman. Achakzai also raised this matter at the inter-ministerial committee in which it was agreed that the matter would be taken up with the FBR. He also met chief collector customs – Karachi and collector customs – Quetta to discuss the issue.
Daroo Khan reiterated that in the presence of such a standing orders the overall enhancement of both transit and bilateral trade would not be a possibility and trade would tilt further towards alternate routes. Keeping in view the significant positive confidence building measures taken up by the covernments of both the countries, it is therefore vital that the business community across the borders may be facilitated to strengthen the bilateral ties.
