ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet has granted permission for transshipment of 40 feet container of banned spare parts to Afghanistan on the request of World Food Program (WFP), despite concerns expressed in the Cabinet meeting that these items would find their way back to Pakistan, well informed sources told Business Recorder.
The Commerce Division, sources said, recently apprised the Cabinet that the WFP, Pakistan country office had requested permission to allow transit of 01 x 40 feet container containing spare parts (banned items) for a fleet of Renault trucks being maintained by WFP Afghanistan from Karachi to Kabul under Bill of Lading No. 1HV3108548.
There is no negative/ prohibited list of items under the Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA-2010). However, Commerce Ministry, in order to curb smuggling of auto parts from Afghanistan had prohibited the transit of these items vide SROs 151(1) I 2004 issued on March 1 0, 2004.
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In the past the Ministry of Commerce with the approval of Cabinet, on case to case basis, had allowed transit of vehicle spare parts of attached organizations of United Nations such as UNHCR, UNAMA and WHO, etc., in terms of sub-sections (I) and (4) section 3 of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950, read with Section 21 of the General Clauses Act, 1897.
Due to the frequent recurring of the transshipment of vehicles by UN and related international organizations in Afghanistan, Commerce Division, vide summary of September 27, 2017 requested the Cabinet that in future, instead of forwarding each case to the Federal Cabinet, the Federal Minister for Commerce could be authorized to approve such cases of transit consignments of International Organizations to Afghanistan, certifying that these consignments had no commercial value. However, the Cabinet on October 3, 2017 directed the Commerce Division to submit the relevant matters on case to case basis.
In view of existing scenario, approval of the Cabinet was solicited to grant permission for transshipment of 01 x 40 feet container containing spare parts (banned items) for a fleet of Renault trucks being maintained by WFP Afghanistan, from Karachi to Kabul under Bill of Lading No. LHV3108548.
During discussion, a member expressed apprehension that these spare parts would find way their back and eventually be sold in the local market. It was clarified that this was only a one-time exemption to WFP for a single container.
After brief discussion, the Cabinet approved the summary titled “request for NOC against World Food Programme Afghanistan in-Transit Shipment of spare parts”, which arrived at Karachi Port on June 19, 2023, as submitted by the Commerce Division.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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