MoIC Delegation Visits Torkham to Resolve Traders’ Issues
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) says a delegation from the ministry traveled to the Torkham crossing to resolve traders’ challenges and has made several decisions.
One of the key decisions of the delegation was to allocate three consecutive days (from Sunbula 11 to 13) for the clearance and passage of trucks carrying fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as to dedicate a special 24-hour period on September 4 for the clearance and passage of empty container trucks.
Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the MoIC, said: “After the review, it was decided that for three days until Thursday evening, all trucks carrying vegetables and fruits will be allowed to pass, while other vehicles will not. On Friday, only empty trucks and containers will be allowed to cross.”
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce welcomed the ministry’s decision but called on MoIC officials to also engage in dialogue with their Pakistani counterparts to resolve traders’ problems.
Naqibullah Safi, Executive Director of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “This is a good step, and we welcome it because at least a solution has been found. But our request is that discussions also be held with the Pakistani side so that they, too, can cooperate with us in this matter.”
Trader Mohammad Zalmai Azimi said: “The Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce was also involved in consultations to find solutions so that fresh fruits, vegetables, and other commercial goods are not stopped.”
Previously, traders had complained that more than one thousand shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables were left stranded at the Torkham crossing.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has urged traders and exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables to load their products only after receiving invoices and certificates of origin.
The ministry further stated that from Sunbula 15 onward, based on the operational capacity of the Torkham crossing, around 200 export invoices per day will be allocated to exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables. The remaining operational hours will be dedicated to the customs clearance of other export goods and empty containers.
