Afghanistan Times
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Pakistan to reopen Chaman border today
By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) on Wednesday said that not only 1,000 Afghan commodities’ trucks were being stopped in the Pakistani side of Chaman crossing point, but also charged huge demurrages to the truck drivers on daily basis.
Commercial Deputy of ACCI, Mohammad Yunos Mohamand, said that each truck charges $70 to 80 on daily basis. “This demurrages would definitely results in price hike of goods when reached to the markets,” he added.
Moreover, he said that negotiations is underway between Afghan and Pakistani officials to resolve the problem and reopen the Spinboldak-Chaman crossing point.
According report export and import between Afghanistan and Pakistan decreased drastically in the past two years due to several limitations has been adopted by the Pakistani government before Afghan traders.
Fortunately, Afghanistan is embarking toward self-reliance, Mohmand said, adding that “based on report our country is already reached self-sufficiency in some products.
Pointing to some challenges particularly lack of lands for private sectors, he asked the government to solve the issues as soon as possible.
Minister of Commerce and Industries, Spokesman Musafer Quqandi said that Afghan government already held talks with the Pakistani government in order to reopen Spinboldak-Chaman transit route.
Without giving further details, he stated that Afghanistan vegetable and fruit productions increased by 35 percent this year.
However, Pakistani media reported on Wednesday that Pakistani will reopen the Bab-e-Dosti gate today (Thursday). A statement from the Frontier Corps says the decision came during successful talks between the two sides in Chaman, a border town in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province.
It’s one of the two border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan and thousands of people use it daily to visit relatives on the other side of the boundary. It’s also used for trade.
Furthermore, (ACCI) also informed of an agreement inked with India to airlift Afghan trade commodities.
Officials in ACCI said after the closure of land route by Pakistan we reached an agreement with India.
“Traders incurred millions losses as tensions remain persistent between Afghanistan and Pakistan along the Durand Line,” the officials said.
The Deputy Chief of the (ACCI), Khan Jan Alokozay, said that the Indian government has agreed to exempted taxes specifically on fresh fruits.
This comes as the main land transit route “Chaman” remains blocked for the past two weeks.
The gate was closed after the Pakistani officials claimed that some of the Afghan demonstrators attacked the check post in Friendship Gate and set the Pakistani flag on fire.
