LAHORE: Trade between Pakistan and India via Wagha Border has been restored up to 80 percent after the suicide attack, claimed Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Preventive Deputy Collector Tauqir Dar.
Talking to Customs Today, Mr Dar said that there were some problems on the very next days of the blast regarding the continuation of trade at border. However, he said, “We continued the trade as we cleared almost 50 loaded trucks on the very next day of the suicide attack. I know the problems faced by the traders and transporters for few days as they have to wait for their turn for long time in long queue but it was all due to the security reasons.”
He said that security of the border premises and public was essential to counter such kind of incidents. He informed, now trade between Pakistan and India has been normalized up to 80 percent with the coordination of the Pakistan Rangers. He informed that almost 150 trucks were sent to India
via Wagha border on daily basis. Dar said, “We have instructed all superintendents of import
and export, inspectors and all lower staff to grow the pace of work to bring the trade at normal level.” He said that he advised superintendents to visit zero point at border to increase coordination with the Indian customs officials.
He also said that customs facilitated the traders at priority basis as they added revenue to national exchequer by paying duties and taxes. He revealed that there was no case of tax evasion as government has given exemptions to traders on trade with India. Dar said that Web-Based One Customs (WeBoc) will be operational soon at Wagha border to efficient the performance.
Sources said that Pakistan Customs had collected almost Rs 119 million as duty tax, sales tax and income tax during the first 14 day of the November at Wagha border trading. On the other hand, almost worth Rs 1.5 billion items has been traded between Pakistan and India via Wagha Border within 14 days of November of current fiscal year.
