The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Thursday said customs clearance of exports and imports remained suspended at border stations of Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Kharlachi and Angoor Adda following unprovoked aggression from Afghanistan that had endangered the safety of officials.
In a statement, the tax body said a majority of its staff had been temporarily relocated to its main headquarters amidst the restive situation. A small number of inspectors and sepoys, however, remain deployed to initiate the customs clearance process as soon the borders reopen for trade.
According to the FBR, clearance has been suspended since Oct. 12 at all border posts apart from Chaman, where it was suspended on Oct. 15. Presently, it said, the Collectorates of Northern Region had cleared import consignments that had arrived prior to the border closure to facilitate trade and avert shortage of essential goods.
At the Customs Stations of Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Kharlachi and Angoor Adda—under the jurisdiction of Northern Region of Appraisement—363 import vehicles that have filed goods declarations have been cleared. At Torkham, around 255 export vehicles and 24 import vehicles remain at the terminal while 200 vehicles are stranded along the Jamrud-Landi Kotal road.
At Chaman Border Customs Station, five import vehicles and 25 export vehicles are pending clearance, as their vendors “are reluctant to file” goods declarations. Besides import and export vehicles, around 500 vehicles carrying transit trade cargo are also waiting crossing of the border at Torkham and Chaman, it added.
Pakistan suspended all Afghan transit cargo transportation nationwide on Oct. 13, following recent unrest at the Pak-Afghan border. The two countries inked a ceasefire over the weekend, though the border points have yet to reopen.