$161mln exports of Pakistani products made at Torkham in three months: Sarhadi

PESHAWAR : The export volume of Pakistani products to Afghanistan through Torkham border point was continuously increasing as during the months of July, August and September the trade volume increased up to $161 million thus contributing $2.3 million to the national kitty.
Talking to media at Torkham border point, Director of Pak-Afghan Giant Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) and President of Frontier Customs Agents Association, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi said that easing of trade policies with Afghanistan, construction of modern terminal at Torkham and operationalization of Integrated Transit Trade Management System (ITTMS) had contributed to the improved export volume.
He said that ITTMS project also includes customs station, baggage scanner, walk-through gate, display center, warehouse, installation of forks for weighing vehicles, banks, offices of customs clearing and forwarding agents and import, export and Afghan transit from Afghanistan.
The Torkham border crossing would become the hub of trade activities in the region in future due to the availability of clearance facilities and other facilities for the goods entering the trade, he said.
Sarhadi noted that following an agreement with Tajikistan there would be around 150,000 commercial vehicles’ movement on the border point on a daily basis that would ultimately promote the bilateral trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries besides providing employment opportunities to thousands in Pakistan. -NNI