TORKHAM: Collectorate of Customs Deputy Collector Tahir Iqbal Khattak said that the construction of Customs House Torkham under the ITTM (Integrated Transit Trade Management) programmed assisted by the ADB (Asian Development Bank) will be completed in next couple of years.
Talking with the Customs Today during an exclusive interview he said that the state-of-the-art border complex under ITTM program is being constructed at Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border, this initiative had been taken to improve the facilities for clearance of goods laden trucks crossing border to Afghanistan and CARs (central Asian republics).
The complex covers an area of 700 kanals, he informed that the complex is comprises of customs and immigration offices, two-way customs and immigration terminals, checking and scanning plazas for pedestrians and passenger and cargo vehicles with other infrastructure.
He said that Torkham vigorously has been changed, giving examples he said that all the areas working under Customs including other LEAs (law enforcement agencies) areas has become quite digitalized those could excess by Customs department by CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras, he added that there are total 128 numbers of CCTV cameras has been installed at Torkham while 102 numbers are handling by the NLC (national logistic cell) whereas other 26 are handled by the Customs department, he added that with help of those cameras Customs department could view all the areas belong to them.
Answering to a query he said that after inauguration of Torkham international border by Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan on 18th September 2019 the said station showed 32% increase till 30th November 2019 in imports against same correspondence period, he added that during above said period the Torkham was processed 10747 GDs (goods declarations) in value of Rs.28354 millions of goods while earned revenue under duty taxes in worth of Rs.3495 million, as well as during same correspondence period the Torkham was processed 8138 GDs in value of Rs.18211 million while earned duty taxes in worth of Rs.2645,
He further informed that after visit of prime minister at Torkham, trend of exports also increased telling the details he said that during 18-9-2019 to 30-11-2019 the Torkham Customs processed 8421 GDs in value of Rs.22792 million equaling to.US$146.51 million, while during same period of 2018 the Torkham was entertained 6228 GDs in value of Rs.14408 and equal to US$ 110.7 million, he notified that Torkham showed 58% increase in exports after visit of PM to Torkham against same correspondence period.
Answering to another query he said that NLC which is custodian of the Torkham Customs station have been took very long time to installed scanner at exports side while they have promised to installed it within next few months, he added that at the imports side scanner is properly working. Ends
