Following the latest tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan owing to violent border clashes, Islamabad has suspended cargo transport under the Afghan Transit Trade from Karachi ports, The News reported on Thursday.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) earlier issues orders and now all port terminals have begun offloading containers already loaded onto vehicles.
Pak-Afghan border clashes
The decision to suspend the Afghan Transit Trade, made during a meeting at the Directorate of Transit Trade Headquarters, Customs House Karachi, under the chairmanship of Afghan Transit Trade Director General (DG), comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours.
Both countries have been engaged in fierce border clashes in recent days, first triggered after Pakistani forces acted in self-defence while responding to unprovoked overnight attack by the Taliban forces and India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) alias Fitna al-Khawarij last week.
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The skirmishes saw Pakistan carrying out “precision fires and strikes, as well as physical raids against Taliban camps and posts, terrorist training facilities and support networks operating from Afghan territory”, resulting in the elimination of more than 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorists.
The fighting once again erupted this week, prompting Pakistan to carry out precision strikes against key Taliban positions in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.
48-hour ceasefire
The two sides, since then, agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire at the request of the Afghan Taliban regime on Wednesday.
Afghan-based terrorist groups
The friction between Islamabad and Kabul is primarily driven by the latter’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil in the backdrop of rising terror attacks in Pakistan.
Halt to Afghan Transit Trade
Meanwhile, the Afghan Transit Trade has been suspended indefinitely under the Customs General Order, as customs stations at Quetta and Peshawar have no remaining capacity to accommodate additional containers.
All the terminals have been directed to offload containers already loaded on vehicles for Afghan transit trade, cancel all Afghan transit gate passes, and halt the transportation.
All the terminals at Karachi Port and Port Qasim have stopped clearance operations for Afghan transit trade.
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According to customs sources, there are long queues of TP (transit) containers at South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT), with hundreds of containers loaded on trucks waiting.
Many others are stuck en route to Quetta and Peshawar. Drivers are waiting for the border to reopen.
Which crossings have been closed?
Major crossings like Torkham, Spin Boldak, Ghulam Khan, Angoor Adda, and Kharlachi have been closed.
Consequences of suspending trade
Indeed, the suspension of Afghan Cargo Transport will deeply impact Afghan-Pakistan relations and cause financial loss to hundreds of transporters.
But experts believe that this suspension is temporary and Pakistan has taken this decision to ensure safety and prevent further escalation.
The closure of border crossings has also affected Afghan nationals, including those voluntarily returning or being repatriated to Afghanistan.
