About 15,000 Afghanistan-bound shipping containers have been stuck at Pakistan’s seaport en route to their final destination due to administrative hiccups and mismanagement on part of the customs authorities, a Pakistani newspaper reported on Tuesday.
This has increased the cost of doing business for traders and transporters on the one hand and could adversely affect the already sinking exports on the other hand, the Express Tribune reported.
Traders in Afghanistan’s border province of Nangarhar also said that their goods remained at Karachi port for six weeks and were not being allowed to be transferred to Torkham port.
Naqibullah Safi, CEO of the Pakistan-AfghanistanJoint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that 100% scanning of Afghan cargo had added to traders’ woes.
Apart from Karachi port, cargo trucks in Jamrud and Takhta Bek areas near Torkham port are also stuck and are charged.
Zalmai Azimi, a trader and deptuty of provincial chamber of commerce and investment in Nangarhar, said that more than 5,000 shipping containers are stuck near Torkham port.
