PESHAWAR – Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan through the Torkham borderwere suspended on Monday when local agents refused complying with thecomputerised custom clearance procedure.
Scores of customs clearing agents and traders staged a rally in the Torkhambazaar, urging the Supreme Court to take notice of “illogical rulesimplemented by Customs Department for imports and exports”.
Hundreds of Afghanistan-bound vehicles loaded with cement, sugar, wheatflour, fruits and vegetables under the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement werestranded on both sides of the border.
The Web-Based One Custom (WeBOC) mechanism introduced by officials for bothimport and export purposes were cumbersome and time- consuming, the customsclearing agents said.
Led by All Torkham Customs Agents Association President HayatullahShinwari, the protestors marched through the dusty bazaar.
Shinwari said the Customs Department had already set 13 conditions for theimporters and exporters. The WEBOC system had increased their miseries inthe absence of a reliable internet and electricity supply.
He complained the customs collector in Peshawar, political administrationand security officials in Torkham had not resolved their grievances.