KARACHI: Dr. Sayed Yahya Akhlaqi, Director of International Transit of Afghanistan is coming to Karachi on an official trip from July 27 to July 31, 2015 and visit the transit activities in the related ports. He would also have meetings with commercial attaché of Afghanistan in Karachi and Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Ambassador of Afghanistan Janan Mosazai will have a follow-up to meeting with Senator Ishaq Dar.
The agenda for this follow-up meeting is as follows:
- Tariff increase on import of fresh Afghan Vegetables and Fruits by 300%, From Rs2500 /Ton to Rs7750/Ton. (Afghanistan requests that the increased tariff rate be eliminated).
- Storage facility for Afghan goods not yet provided. (off-dock container terminal at Karachi).
- The issue of de-stuffing of Afghan goods at Karachi has not been solved yet.
- Afghan goods are still subject to anti-narcotics force (ANF) examination.
- Partial-shipment is still not allowed in Karachi based on information from Afghan commercial Attaché in Karachi.
- 90 percent of all Afghan transit trade cargo is not cleared on first day although it was promised by Pakistan.
- Scanning is reduced to 20 percent only for traders who can make a direct approach to officials at Karachi port while, higher rates of scanning is charged for all other traders.
- Based upon the promise made by H.E. Minister of Commerce, Pakistan Railway was scheduled to carry 400 containers/week of Afghan Transit goods from Karachi. (Still pending)
- Number of bonded carriers was promised to be increased which is not yet done.
- EDI is still not operational in Torkham and Chaman.
- Demurrage-free days were promised to be increased from 514 in Karachi int’l Container Terminal. (Still not done)
- Joint Customs clearance at Torkham still not done.
- Possible location for Trans-shipment facility in Peshawar is identified but still huge amount work is remaining which may take long time. No infrastructure work has been carried out to date to build a functioning trans-shipment facility. The designated location sits undisturbed.
- Nishter kidney center in Jalalabad which Minister of Finance personally inaugurated in February 2014. Provision of equipment and personnel training services not yet provided.