Pakistan tightens control on Afghan transit trade, imposes fee; bans 212 items

The Pakistan government on Tuesday (Oct 3) announced a 10 per cent processing fee on items imported under the Afghan transit trade agreement in order to evade smuggling and ensure proper taxation.

Amid the growing chasm between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the announcement becomes significant as it aims to curb the illegal entry of goods into the country.

The government said that the latest measure has been taken over suspicion that certain goods are illegally rerouted back into Pakistan even though they are destined for Afghanistan.

The caretaker government has also banned 212 items of Afghan transit trade, with theMinistry of Commerce issuinga notification for the same,Bol News reported.

The notification states that 17 types of cloth were banned from passing through the Afghan transit trade and all types of tyres were banned.

As per the notification, the shipment of three types of tea through the Afghan transit trade has also been banned, and also dry fruits, almonds and fresh fruits.

All types of cosmetics and dozens of items used as toiletries have been banned. The notification further states the ban on refrigerators, air conditioners, juicers, mixers, blenders, flasks, and others.

A report by DAWN mentioned that the Customs Department notification (SRO1381 of 2023) noted that the fee, calculated as 10 per cent ad valorem based on the original value of goods, must be paid in advance during the declaration process for Afghan transit commercial goods entering Afghanistan via Pakistan.

Notable, the goods declarations filed before Oct 3 will not be subject to these new provisions, according to the notification.

As quoted by DAWN, an official said that the cargo volume has surged recently. "Despite Afghanistan's transit trade demand being $1bn to $2bn per year, we have observed a significant rise. This fee is expected to deter those involved in illicit trading," the official said.

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The illegal immigrant issue

The announcement comes amid ongoing conflict between the two nations as Pakistan ordered all illegal immigrants to leave the country or face expulsion. The so-called illegal immigrants included 1.73 million Afghan nationals.

A spokesman for the Taliban administration in Kabul said on Wednesday that Pakistan's threat to forcibly expel illegal Afghan immigrants is "unacceptable" and added that the Afghans were not to blame for Pakistan's security problems.

(With inputs from agencies)

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