PESHAWAR: Members of the business community have demanded of the federal government to restore the export cargo train from Peshawar to Karachi to make Azakhel dry port functional and speed up the goods clearing process of the export goods from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This demand was made by a team of businessmen led by Sarhad chamber of commerce and industry’ standing committee chairman Ziaul Haq Sarhadi during a meeting with Divisional Superintendent (DS) Railways Peshawar, Masood Ahmad Jan at his office said in a press release here on Sunday.
Apprising the official of the problems being faced by exporters and importers due to lack of facilities at the dry port Azakhel and suspension of the cargo train, Sarhadi said that at time of inauguration of Azakhel Dry Port, the business community was assured that one window operation would be started at the facility while an export cargo train would also be launched for transportation of goods between Karachi and Peshawar but to no avail.
Sarhadi, who is also coordinator Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) for the last twenty years, exported cargo from Peshawar dry port and all the export goods were transported in private trucks from Peshawar to Karachi port.
He said that the exporters had vast business of numerous natural resources in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa like gems, marbles, granite and other items like handicraft, carpet, honey and match sticks but the lack of facilities had created problems for them.
He said all these items should have been transported from Peshawar to Karachi for export purposes in a cargo train from Azakhel dry port instead of trucks.
The Azakhel dry port, he said was almost non-functional due to which more than 250 custom clearing agents in KP had no work to do or make some earnings for the families. He said by launching the cargo train, Pakistan Railway could make a significant generation of funds under the head of transportation charges of export import goods.
He informed that due to non-functioning of cargo train and heavy transportation charges of trucks, a large portion of Afghan Transit trade business had been shifted to Bandar Abbas sea port in Iran.
On this occasion, he also appreciated a decision taken by Pakistan Railways regarding revival of Awam Express Train from December 20, 2023 for passengers travelling between Peshawar to Karachi. He demanded restoration of services of both Khushal Khan Khattak train and Railway car besides increasing the number of sleepers in Khyber Mail train. He also demanded the establishment of a merchant room for clearing agents at Azakhel Dry Port, allowing them to work with ease.
The DS Railways, Masood Jan held out assurance of giving special attention to problems faced by the business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on priority basis.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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