GILGIT: While registering their protest, traders of Gilgit-Baltistan have closed down Sost Dry Port for any kind of exports and imports.
The protest came in the aftermath of unjustified taxes and unfriendly business approaches of the federal government. Traders have closed the port for indefinite time also announcing the closure of business till their demands are met.
Former president of Gilgit-Baltistan Chamber of Commerce Javed Hussain has said that over 100 containers have been stuck at the dry port as a result of the strike. “Both imports and exports have been stopped across the border. The trade activities at the dry port were resumed last month after winter closure,” he added.
The traders, he claimed, had been forced to take the ultimate step as FBR is reluctant to reconsider its decision of a two days weekly closure of the border and taxation criteria made for the trade via Pak-China border.
According to him, despite repeated request and meetings held with FBR Chairman, the issue remained unresolved forcing the traders to shut down their business. The decision of closing the border for two days a week (Saturday and Sunday) is the most surprising decision of Ministry of Finance as none of the ports in the country are being closed for two consecutive days.
Besides, the imposition of income and sales taxes on the trade handlings of that port was also illegal as the area under the constitution of the country was disputed, he claims. According to Javed, apart from the constitutional issue, FBR is also not accepting the demand of the traders for reconsidering the rate of taxes being imposed on the trade of this route. The exporters and importers of the land route mostly bear comparatively higher cost of freight not only because of the over 800 kilometres long hilly route but also due to the Atabad Lake in Hunza where the goods have to be shipped from one corner to other side through boats.
The miseries of traders do not end here, he says. Customs Collectorates in others parts of the country also charge taxes and make unwanted checking and inspection of the trucks/containers coming from the Sost Dry Port. The demand of closing Customs Collectorate office in Gilgit has also not been accepted by the ministry so far. The unwanted and illegal measures taken by the ministry and FBR have finally made the trade handlings at the port unviable.
The trade activities, as announced by the office-bearers of GB Chamber of Commerce in Gilgit on Wednesday, would remain closed till a series of demands made by the traders were met by the finance ministry and FBR, he said, adding that traders would also be protesting in Islamabad shortly if the government left the issues related to Pak-China trade unresolved.
