(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News)
KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): A number of traders say that they have suffered huge losses as result of transit problems on Chaman-Boldak route, asking for immediate solution to the issues.
They say that they would stop their businesses if their problems remain unsolved on the route.
Haji Abdul Rahim, a trader who imports cooking oil from Malaysia through Pakistan's Karachi port to Afghanistan, say that the main problem was created by Pakistan.
Pakistan usually opens the border for a very short period with many restrictions, he said, adding that the neighbor country allow import and exports, but disallow transit of goods.
In the past, 500 containers of transit were transporting on the route on daily basis, but now only 70 to 80 of them are allowed, he said.
Abdul Rahim shared today's figures with Pajhwok that shows 22 containers entered from Pakistan to Afghanistan while 48 empty containers entered from Afghanistan to Pakistan, which is a very low number.
He said that 1,200 empty containers were stranded in Spin Boldak border and they all needed to move to Pakistan, but they are disallowed by that country.
Some of these containers are stopped there for weeks and their owners pay $150 to $200 on daily basis in 'detention', he said, adding that traders suffered around a million US dollar in various charges on the stranded trucks on daily basis.
Abdul Rahim said that truck drivers' associations also increased transport fee. In the past, the transport fee of one container was 150,000 Pakistani rupees from Karachi port to Spin Boldak but now it increased from 250,000 to 300,000 Pakistani rupees, he said.
He said that China also stopped shipments to Afghanistan due to long delays of containers on the route.
Traders said that they would have no way but to stop activities if transit related problems on Boldak-Chaman route not resolved. All the price of these problems are paid by the ordinary people.
Haji Jalaluddin, a trader who imports fabric from China, also complained about these problems.
He said that his containers were stopped for several days across the border in Pakistan but when his container was later allowed, the neighbor country disallow reentry of empty containers, the reason he has to pay $200 a day in detention charge.
He said that many traders have shared the issue with the Taliban, but no action was so far taken to resolve it.
Despite the Taliban have good relations with Pakistan, but it is unclear why they do not resolve transit related problem with this country, he said.
Kandahar governor, Haji Mohammad Yousuf Wafa acknowledged these problems and said that they were following the matter from close and working for its solution.
He said that he also talked with Pakistani general console for solution to the problem, and the Pakistani diplomat assured him of sharing it with his country's officials.
Wafa said that the Taliban were busy managing internal issues but they would also focus on resolving border and foreign related problems in the future.
Spin Boldak border was usually opening on 7am and closing on 6pm in the past, but it is opening on 8am and closing on 4pm after the Taliban took power of Afghanistan.
Pakistan has repeatedly said that it would keep the border open 24 hours a day, but the country yet to hold its promise.
Exports, imports and transit to this country dropped to 80 percent.
mds
Hits: 0
MENAFN26092021000174011037ID1102866592
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.