LAHORE: Writ of government at border areas, reduction in duty and taxes rates and awareness seminar sessions can eliminate illegal trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
This was consensus between an Afghan Journalist delegation, Lahore Traders, Industrialist and journalists at a debate on economic issue held by the Equal Access at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries here Saturday.
LCCI President Ijaz A Mumtaz said that in order to resolve various bilateral issues especially matter pertaining to customs clearance and lengthy process both the countries should set up a joint customs port.
Afghan journalist Nasir Azizi told Customs Today that importers and exporters while conducting business operations with Pakistani counterparts have often been heard that their consignments were not cleared timely by the Pakistani customs authorities which discourage the business people to trade with the country.
He added that in order to increase bilateral trade volume trade volume customs procedures needs to be made simple and modest.
Punjab Union of journalist Representative Shahid Nadeem said that to tackle the issue of illegal trade the governments need to reduce duty and taxes rates to encourage the traders to hate the smuggled items.
Raaziq International Vice President Import Product Mian Tariq Memood Mian said that it was need of the hour that the Afghan government should hold awareness seminars imparting the importers and exporters the changing rules and law besides they should adopt English language for communication to abolish the documentation related issues to expedite clearance of goods and articles.
He added that writs of the Afghan and Pakistani governments also need to be made stronger to tackle the issue of rising smuggling.
Dr Anwar Jamili, Asadullah Daudzai, Aqeel Ahmad KhanAfghan journalist Murshalin Arsalan, India Pakistan Trade promotion committee chairman Aftab Vohra, Shaid Khalil and others were also present on the occasion.
