FCAG chief asks government to review ATTA

President, Frontier Customs Agents Group (FCAG), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has asked the federal government to review Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA) that had deprived Pakistani ports of the 70 percent transit trade.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, Sarhadi, who was also a former senior vice president (SVP) of Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) said that lacunas in the transit agreement inflicting loss to the tone of billions of rupees on Pakistan Railways in fare.

The provincial chief of the Customs clearing agents appreciated the establishment of modern dry port at Azakhel, district Nowshera. The step, he said would turned KP into a trade gateway to Central Asian Republics in real sense and on other hand the industrial units of the province will also get easy access to raw materials and would trigger business and employment opportunities in the province.

The construction of the new Azakhel Dry Port spread over 28 acres would cost Rs 500 million. Beside, one-window operation, other facilities including special desk for Afghan transit would also be available at the dry port. He said that the new dry port would bear positive impacts on export and import and enhance business activities to hefty amount in revenue for both federal and provincial governments.