Afghan government to block routes for Pakistani trucks

The Afghan government has warned to block the trade routes to Pakistani trucks if Pakistan does not allow Afghan traders’ truck to pass through the Waga port in the next three days.

As many as 2,000 containers loaded with food and non-food items are stuck at the Karachi port over the past two weeks due to unjustified hike in the shipping freight rate.

Spokesperson to the Ministry of Commerce, Musafir Qoqandi, said Pakistani officials agreed during the recent transit and trade cooperation conference that Afghan trucks would be allowed to pass directly through the Waga port in the next three days.

“If Pakistan did not fulfill their promise, Afghanistan would follow the same course and close trade routes for Pakistani trucks,” said Qoqandi.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) have once again expressed their distrust in Pakistan’s promises and accused them of not abiding the trade cooperation pact signed between the two nations.

Afghan traders have been facing transit issue with Pakistan despite presence of trade agreements with Pakistan that are aimed at facilitating trade between the two nations.

Pakistan recently agreed to strengthen economic and bilateral ties on a new set of plans at a meeting where Afghanistan pushed for a proper implementation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement (APTTA).

However, Afghan business community always finds Pakistan’s promises dubious, as the neighboring country fails to resolve transit issues despite supporting the APTTA.

The APTTA, if implemented successfully, will be a major breakthrough in tackling cross-border smuggling and increasing government revenues.