PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) on Thursday urged both countries to keep border crossings open for bilateral trade and pedestrian traffic.
“Due to closure of Chaman border for more than a month, we are facing a loss of Rs100 million a day,” said Chairman PAJCCI Zubair Motiwala. “Both the countries have no option but to keep border crossing points open for trade, people movement and humanitarian assistance.”
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Motiwala also urged to address procedural obstacles to trade as border closures is affecting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and individual traders on both sides. He maintained that both sides should take advantage of fresh fruit and vegetable season in Afghanistan which is being wasted due to border closures.
He stressed that by keeping borders open for trade Pakistan will have continuous supply of fresh food items which will reduce prices in local market and bring relief to common man, whereas Afghanistan will earn much needed financial support.
Business community is facing multiple issues as border closures not only impacting bilateral trade but transit trade with Central Asian Republics (CARs), inflation, depreciation of rupee, taxation, increasing fuel and logistics costs. “At the least Government should take measures to support border trade with Afghanistan to avoid past mistakes and develop sustainable relationship while keeping a major supply route operating in the future,” Motiwala said.
On October 18, Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Baluchistan Government formed committee comprising senior security, home department officials, customs and NADRA to address the issues regarding border closures, developing proper mechanism for pedestrians movement, facilitation of Visa/Passport holders and matters related to transit trade with Afghanistan.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi recent visit to Kabul also created hope that both sides will settle multiple issues and continue to trade and work together for economic and social stability in the region especially on Pak-Afghan border region. “However, the expected results could not be materialized any fruit and situation remains stagnant,” Motiwala said, urging Government to devise long-term economic blueprint for Afghanistan keeping in view its strategic importance for Pakistan trade and transit requirements.
Motiwala also urged his Afghan counterpart, Khan Jan Alokozai to raise the issue with the Afghan government to resolve the outstanding issues and open the crossing points for trade round the clock. He said that the closure of Chaman border has increased afflictions for border based traders and farmers significantly and further delay can deprive them of basic necessities to survive approaching winters.