In yet another move to facilitate the Afghan transit trade, Pakistan has installed a scanner at the Torkham border crossing for quick scanning of the transit cargo.
Accelerated screening of the transit cargo will not only clear the backlog of thousands of containers between Karachi Port in the south which the landlocked Afghanistan uses for its imports, and the Torkham border. It will also help curtail the movement of prohibited items.
This process is intended to expedite the procedure of cargo clearance at the border which is currently facing immense congestion with hundreds of containers parked between Peshawar and the border town, awaiting their turn.
The initiative could aid in the prevention of smuggling of illegal items, such as narcotics, electronic appliances, foreign currency, thus, saving billions of revenue for both countries. Â
The issue has bee part of Pak Afghan Track 11 dialogues and media advocacy by civil society outfits including the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) because of the difficulties the traders are currently facing.
As many as 9000 containers are reportedly stuck at the Karachi Port because of slow scanning and clearance procedures.
COVID-19 induced measured taken in March had also contributed to the pile-up at the Port and Chamman in the southwest of Pakistan well as Torkham in the northwest.
Pakistan has recently also opened three new international border crossings i.e. Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan, and Angoor Adda to boost bilateral and transit trade.
