MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): As its trade with Central Asia states has been onthe rise, Afghanistan link>’s importsfrom Pakistan link> have declined by 80percent, say traders in northern Balkh province.
Due to commerce and transit issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan,businesspeople in the province say imports through the Torkham port haveprecipitously fallen.
Meanwhile, officials of the customs department say their revenue in 2017had increased by 16 percent over last year, thanks to increased imports viaHairatan port from Central Asia.
Customs Director Abdul Rahman Rasikh told Pajhwok Afghan News most ofAfghanistan’s customs revenue came from taxes on imported business goods.He called Hairatan port one of the most essential trade hubs.
According to him, imports through the port were more than exports. He saidduring the current year, the Balkh port collected revenue of 12 billionafghanis, recording a 16 percent increase over last year.
Rasikh called increased imports through the Hairatan port a key factorbehind enhanced revenue levels. He added the import of steel, grains,timber, flour and fuel had recently increased.
Falling imports through the Torkham port was another reason behind surgingimports through Hairatan, the director explained.
Frequent border closures by Pakistan over the past two years and transitproblems between the neighbours had resulted in the decrease of importsthrough the Torkham crossing point, he added.
Traders in Balkh also say most of business goods, which earlier used to beimported through Torkham, are now coming from Central Asia and entering thecountry through the Hairatan port.
One trader named Mohammad Nasim confirmed to Pajhwok Afghan News the levelof imports through Hairatan had gone up during current year.
One of the reasons behind increased imports through Hairatan was thedecline in imports via Torkham, he said. Imports through Torkham intoAfghanistan had slumped by 80 percent this year.
On the other hand, some businessmen linked the rising imports throughHairatan to the stable security environmentlink> in Mazar-i-Sharif.
A trader, Mohammad Nabi, said the security situation in Mazar-i-Sharif andon the Kabul link>-Mazar Highwayhad positively impacted trade via Hairatan.
He said while considering the relatively good security situation,businessmen were willing to import and export goods through Hairatan. “As aresult, the revenues of the Customs Department has jumped this year.”
However, Rasikh said exports through Hairatan were almost zero. With theconstruction of a rail link between Afghanistan and China, Afghanistan’exports would see a boost, but it didn’t happen, he added.
According to him, the prevailing transit issues between Afghanistan andUzbekistan have left negative effects on exports through Hairatan. Herevealed exports worth two million afs had taken place this year.
Afghanistan is connected to Central Asia through Hairatan, Aqina and SherKhan ports. Trade through Hairtan has considerably increased and improvedover the past few years.
The important aspects of the port include the railroad extension from Chinaand the $400 million investment in the petroleum and gas sectors.