PESHAWAR: Pak-Afghan traders urged Islamabad and Kabul to sort out peaceful solution to all issues by holding table talks to immediately restore bilateral trade.
Traders said owing to the closure of the border for many days, traders on both sides of the border had incurred financial loss, worth billions of dollars.
Pak-Afghan business community asserted business should be separated from politics to ensure trade growth. They expressed these views during an online conference/ webinar jointly organised by SCCI and Pak-Afghan Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) on border trade closure and other traders’ issues.
During the last 17 to 18 days closure of the Torkham border, 6000 goods trucks, especially perishable like fruit, vegetables, juices, meat and other food items stranded on both sides of the border, owing to which Pak-Afghan traders inflicted approximately monetary loss up to $10 billion, the conference was told.
Participants of the meeting urged Pakistan and Afghanistan governments and relevant authorities to resolve the issue through negotiation. Speakers stated business and trade was carried between Pakistan and Afghanistan for the last several decades and called for joint initiatives to enhance the Pak-Afghan mutual trade volume.
In the conference, a proposal was given for holding a joint flag march to the border, on which the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it will take decision about this proposal after consultation with leaders and officials.
Conference attended by PAJCCI Pakistan Chapter vice president and members of the SCCI’ executive committee Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Khyber Chamber Group Leader Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, PAJCCI Coordinator Imtiaz Ali, Director Farooq Ahmad, former president SCCI Faiz Muhammad Faizi, PAJCCI Pakistan Chapter president Junaid Makda, former president PAJCCI Pakistan chapter Qazi Zahid, and others.
PAJCCI vice president and acting chairman of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment Younas Mohmand, elders/trader leaders Haji Gul Arab, Haji Dr Mukhlas Ahmad participated in an online conference from the Afghanistan side.
In his key-note speech, Moqeem urged Pak-Afghan traders to come forward and play a role in a peaceful solution of the ongoing conflict because it has brought highly negative impacts of mutual trade between the two countries.
None of the trade borders in Pakistan have not been closed on political grounds but Torkham, Ghulam Khan and Kharlachi trade routes frequently remained closed for months on petty issues, which adversely hurt the bilateral trade, SCCI chief remarked.
Moqeem urged Pak-Afghan traders to play a role in a peaceful solution of the ongoing conflict to restore mutual trade between the two neighbouring countries.
Ziaul Haq Sarhadi also spoke on the occasion and stressed the need for early resolution of Pak-Afghan conflict to restore mutual trade.
PAJCCI Pakistan chapter official said Pakistan and Afghanistan, which are close neighbour countries, and both Islamabad and Kabul should take joint measures to ease difficulties of traders and facilitate them under a comprehensive mechanism.
Before the closure of the Torkham border, an infrastructure development Cess on export from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was imposed which has forced traders to shift nearly 4000 to 5000 goods containers from KP to Chaman border, Quetta that not only badly affected export but also rendered customs clearing agents jobless.
With efforts of SCCI, the KP government had slashed Cess on export at 1 percent from 2 percent but the notification regarding the reduction was yet not included in the system that has created difficulties for traders and urged the provincial government to put 1 percent cut on cess into the system to ease traders’ difficulties.
Earlier, SCCI and PAJCCI Pakistan Chapter hailed the efforts of ACCI chairman Younas Mohmad for highlighting border closure issues and promotion of Pak-Afghan mutual trade.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
