Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan fall by 35pc

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan fell by 35 percent during the last quarter of the outgoing going year, business leaders say.

A Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) leader tied the export decline to the crises in the neighbouring country and a halt to consignment clearance at Torkham.

Trade activities between the two nations were suspended as authorities stopped clearing goods-laden trucks based on a notification from Pakistan’s central bank.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), in an earlier notification, had allowed exports to Afghanistan after obtaining payments from Afghan traders in dollars.

But the central bank issued another notification, changing the last date from December 31 to December 13. It halted loaded trucks at Torkham.

Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, vice president of PAJCCI, said: “Due to non-issuance of Form E and Form I by SBP, many loaded trucks remain parked on both sides of the border post.”

In a statement on Friday, Sarhadi said the officials concerned refused to clear the trucks in light the new notification from the central bank.

He added Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan had slumped in the last four months of 2021 as a result of a serious economic crisis in the neighbouring country.

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