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| Afghanistan |
| Govt Fails to End Trade Convoy Blockades: ACCI |
| 2010-12-30 |
| [Tolo News] A top official in the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said government has not been able to open way to Afghan trade convoys stuck in Iran and Karachi. It has been four months that food containers bound for Afghanistan have been stopped at Karachi port, the official said. He said despite Pakistan's Premier's promise to resolve Afghan trade convoy problems in his country, conditions for Afghan traders have become even worse. ACCI said fines imposed by Pakistan's government reaches to 200,000 rupees per container. Iranian government has not yet allowed fuel trucks which number in thousands to enter into Afghanistan soil, ACCI said. Afghan first Vice President, Marshal Mohammad Fahim Qasim, along with some other top Afghan officials flew to Iran to discuss fuel trucks and other mutual cooperation with officials in Tehran. "Unfortunately either it is political or something else that Afghan government cannot take action in this regard," said Deputy Head of ACCI, Khanjan Alokozai. Analysts believe that Pakistani officials have not kept on their promises honesly and Afghanistan should react similarly. "Afghanistan should take similar action and should impose the same sanctions so that Pakistan understands Afghanistan has lost patience," Hamidullah Farouqi, an Afghan analyst, told TOLOnews. Pakistan has not only kept on its promises, but it has also doubled problems and challenges for Afghan traders, said officials in Ministry of Commerce and Industries. "Even demurrages take a lot of time. They do some unnecessary investigations on Afghan containers," Ghulam Mohammad Yailaqi, a Policymaker in commerce and industries ministry told TOLOnews. According to the commerce and industries ministry, Iran has also ignored to act on the commitments made with Afghan delegation as the Afghan fuel tankers are still stopped on the Iranian side of the border. The Iranian officials had earlier promised the Afghan delegation visiting Tehran that all the oil tankers stopped by Iranian border forces will be allowed to enter Afghanistan. |
| Posted by:Fred |