The Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Investment said that recently, the volume of trade from Pakistan’s Karachi port has decreased to an unprecedented level.
According to officials of the chamber, previously about three thousand containers of commercial goods were imported into the country monthly through the Karachi port, but now this number has decreased to 700 to 800 containers.
Zalmai Azimi, a member of the board of the Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “Previously, between 2,500 to 3,000 containers of goods were transferred from Karachi port to Afghanistan each month. Now, due to the restrictions imposed by Pakistan or the so-called ‘trade certificate’ that they require the drivers to obtain, this number has decreased to around 600 to 800 containers per month. Whereas before, it was almost 3,000 containers. Thus, the level of trade with Afghanistan through Pakistan has significantly decreased.”
Meanwhile, some truck drivers say they have faced challenges with the decrease in trade from Karachi port.
Sayed Mullah Pacha, a driver, said: “If customs in Torkham work quickly and complete the procedures related to the vehicles, the vehicles will pass through there quickly and congestion will not occur. We have spent ten days in the lines, sometimes fifteen days, and even twenty days.”
Baghi Gul, another driver, said: “Before the issue of passport and visa was raised, we used to travel easily. Therefore, it is necessary to create such facilities so that drivers and cleaners can easily travel through Torkham.”
On the other hand, officials from Nangarhar Customs say that after the obstacles created by Pakistan against Afghan traders, have also taken similar steps and are trying to find alternative routes for traders.
Manzoor Ahmad Omar, the head of Nangarhar Customs, said: “Before the obstacles were created, traders would definitely look for alternative routes. Therefore, our trade volume with Pakistan has decreased somewhat compared to the past. Traders are trying to continue their trade through alternative routes where they do not face problems and import their goods into Afghanistan through those routes.”
This comes as the government of Pakistan occasionally creates obstacles for the export and import of Afghan commercial goods, which causes significant financial losses to the country’s traders.