Afghan containers problem may be resolved

Frontier Post

F.P. Bureau Report

ISLAMABAD The issue of 800 containers belonging to notable Afghans is most likely to be resolved during the next few weeks.

It may be recalled that at the time of ban on the Afghan transit trade some three years ago, some 800 containers belonging to the notable Afghan leaders had been stopped by the Customs authorities. In the wake of the growing scarcity of essential goods in Afghanistan amidst severe cold, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had written to the Economic Coordination Committee to release these containers. On the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ECC has formed a committee comprising officials of Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Finance and Central Board of Revenue (CBR). This committee will review the issue and will recommend back to the ECC whether these goods are required to be released without duty and demurrages.

It was learnt that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its recommendations had suggested that the said containers be released without any duty and demurrages. It has also been learnt that there is a major share of former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani in the said containers and he during his recent visit to Pakistan on the special invitation of the prime minister, had demanded of the government to release these containers as soon as possible. The sources believed that the government in its efforts to restore its confidence over various factions of Afghans will release these containers without any duty and demurrages. These containers are containing luxury goods, otherwise any eatables could have expired and the Afghan leaders could have lost interest in the matter, the sources said.