The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said on Thursday that customs clearance of exports and imports was suspended at the Customs Border Stations of Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Kharlachi and Angoor Adda since October 12 following intense border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In a statement, the FBR said that due to security concerns majority of staff were temporarily relocated to the headquarters, while a small number of inspectors and sepoys were still present at each border station to start the customs clearance process as soon as the situation normalizes and borders open for trade.
Afghan transit cargo halted
It added that the Collectorates of Northern Region had cleared import consignments, which had arrived at these stations before the border closure.
“At the Customs Stations of Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Kharlachi and Angoor Adda, falling under the jurisdiction of the Northern Region of Appraisement, 363 import vehicles where GDs were filed have been cleared.
At Torkham, a border station which handles the maximum cargo in the Northern Region, around 255 export vehicles and 24 import vehicles are still standing at the terminal while 200 vehicles are stranded along the Jamrud-Landi Kotal road,“ the FBR said.
Moreover, at the Chaman Border Customs Station, five import vehicles and 25 export vehicles were pending clearance as importers and exporters to whom these vehicles pertain were reluctant to file GDs, according to the press release.
“Besides importing and exporting vehicles, around 500 vehicles carrying transit trade cargo are also waiting to cross the border at Torkham and Chaman.”
Pakistan had suspended all Afghan transit cargo transportation nationwide on October 13, following recent unrest at the Pak-Afghan border.
