KABUL – A top official in the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said the government has not been able to open the way for Afghan trade convoys stuck in Iran and Karachi. It has been four months since food containers bound for Afghanistan have been stopped at Karachi port, the official said. He said despite Pakistan’s premier’s promise to resolve Afghan trade convoy problems in the country, conditions for Afghan traders have become even worse. ACCI said fines imposed by Pakistan’s government reaches to Rs 200,000 per container.
Iranian government has not yet allowed fuel trucks which number in thousands to enter into Afghanistan soil, ACCI said. Afghanistan’s vice president, Marshal Mohammad Fahim Qasim, along with other top Afghan officials flew to Iran to discuss fuel trucks and mutual cooperation with officials in Tehran.
“Unfortunately this is either political that the Afghan government cannot take action in this regard,” said deputy head of ACCI, Khanjan Alokozai. Analysts believe that Pakistani officials have not kept their promise and Afghanistan should react similarly.
“Afghanistan should take similar action and should impose the same sanctions so that Pakistan understands Afghanistan has lost patience,” Hamidullah Farouqi, an Afghan analyst said.
Pakistan has not only gone back on its promises, but it has also doubled problems and challenges for Afghan traders, said officials in Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
“Even demurrages take a lot of time. They do some unnecessary investigations on Afghan containers,” Ghulam Mohammad Yailaqi, a policymaker in commerce and industries ministry said.According to the ministry, Iran has also ignored to act on the commitments made to the Afghan delegation as Afghan fuel tankers are still stopped on the Iranian side of the border.
