PESHAWAR: Chairman Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Standing Committee on Railways and Dry Port, Zia ul Haq Sarhadi met with newly appointed Divisional Superintendent (DS) Railways Peshawar, M. Nasir Khalili and apprised him about the issues being faced by businessmen of the region.
According to a press release issued here on Friday, during the meeting Zia Sarhadi congratulated Nasir Khalili over assuming the charge of DS Railways Peshawar for second time.
He expressed the hope that the appointment of Nasir Khalili would augur well in resolution of problems being faced by businessmen of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa especially those dealing in Pak-Afghan Transit Trade.
Zia Sarhadi informed DS Railways that Aza Khan Dry Port which was inaugurated by former Prime Minister, Imran Khan around two years earlier has still not become fully functional.
At time of inauguration, Zia added businessmen were assured that One Window operation service would be provided besides other modern facilities at the new dry port and a special export cargo train would be started between Peshawar and Karachi.
Businessmen were also assured that new cargo train would provide great help to importers and exporters of KP. The train would also transport goods of Afghan transit trade, reconditioned vehicles, raw material for industry and other items between port city of Karachi and Peshawar.
The decision was not implemented yet after passage of almost two years and needed special consideration for provision of services announced at time of inauguration, Zia told DS Railways.
Zia ul Haq Sarhadi, who is also President of Frontier Custom Agents Association said “For the last 22 years export cargo train from Peshawar Cantt Railway station is not operating.”
Whereas, he continued, KP has great potential of business because of being blessed with huge resources of minerals, gemstones, marble, furniture, handicraft, carpet, match sticks, honey.
“All these exportable items are being transported in trucks instead of cargo trains which should ply between Peshawar and Karachi, ” he continued.
“Custom clearance of all these goods are made by agents in Karachi and are exported through different shipping agents, rendering more than 250 custom clearing agents in Peshawar and KP as job less, ” he added.
He said “if these goods are booked through train at Azha Khel dry port, the revenue in shape of different duties and other taxes would have been earned by KP government which is now shifted to Sindh.”
“While Pakistan Railway is also deprived of huge earnings which it can make through providing transportation services for export cargo good and Afghan Transit trade, ” Zia opined.
He said “Existing dry port at Azha Khel is lacking necessary facilities and export goods are lying in open sky, posing threat of damage which can incur huge losses to businessmen.”
He also suggested for setting up of offices for agents and shipping cargo agents besides providing them other facilities at the dry port.
Responding to view point expressed by Zia Sarhadi, DS Railways, Nasir Khalili held out assurance of his full cooperation in resolution of all these problems and for taking measures to provide facilities to business community of the province.
On this occasion, Zia ul Haq Sarhadi also invited DS Railways Peshawar to visit Sarhad Chamber and meet with members of business community of the province.