KARACHI: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce have decided to convene a joint meeting on April 9th to address the issue of approximately 600 Pakistani commercial trucks stranded at the Pakistan-Iran border for the past six months.
The joint session of the two Senate committees has been scheduled for April 9, tomorrow. The primary agenda of the meeting will be to discuss the situation of the 600 trucks held up at the Taftan border. The issue was initially brought to the attention of the Finance Committee by an affected trader. The Iranian Embassy has expressed its concern regarding the stranded trucks.
The stranding of the trucks is reportedly causing daily losses of $2.2 million. Officials indicate that approximately 400 commercial trucks cross the Pakistan-Iran border daily under normal circumstances. Each commercial truck is estimated to carry goods worth around $11,000.
The matter of bank guarantees for barter trade is also included in the agenda of the joint meeting. The Commerce Division issues various Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) related to trade. Various trade-related issues have been under separate discussion in the Commerce and Finance Committees. The Standing Committee on Finance had previously assured its role in facilitating trade.
The joint session of the Senate committees signifies the seriousness with which the issue of the stranded trucks is being taken. The discussions are expected to focus on identifying the reasons for the blockage and finding solutions to resume trade flow across the Pakistan-Iran border, mitigating the significant financial losses being incurred.
The inclusion of barter trade guarantees on the agenda suggests a broader effort to streamline and enhance trade relations between the two countries.
