GILGIT: Traders affiliated with import and export between Pakistan and China through Khunjerab Pass announced protest against the suspension of trade between the two countries for the last six months.
Addressing a press conference, Pakistan-China Traders Action Committee leaders said transporters, hotel owners, labourers and shopkeepers had become jobless.Mohammad, Ismail, Ebad Nagri, Yawar Abbas and Abbas Mir and other leaders of the committee said over 200 consignments imported from China had stuck at Sost Dry port since December last year.
They said local traders faced billions of rupees losses as many items had expired. They also had to pay daily port charges and other expenses. They said trade between two countries through Khunjerab Pass was the biggest source of income for GB people.
They said small traders were not being allowed to import items for local markets. They said the collection of income tax and sales tax at Sost Port was in violation of the law given the disputed constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan. They demanded that the customs checkpoint be relocated outside Gilgit-Baltistan’s territorial limits and that the region’s disputed status be recognised.
Moreover, Gilgit-Baltistan should be exempted from income tax and sales tax with customs duties being the only charges applied to imported goods. They also demanded immediate removal of the customs collector. They warned that if their demands were not met within 48 hours, the next course of action would be announced.
Earlier, traders of Gilgit-Baltistan have urged Customs to clear consignments stuck on both sides before the Pakistan-China border was closed as per a bilateral agreement.In a meeting with Customs Chief Collector (North) Khawaja Khurram Naeem, the traders said the border would be closed in two weeks, and a large number of consignments were stuck on both sides.
They said if these consignments weren’t promptly cleared, local traders would lose billions of rupees.Under a border protocol agreement signed between the two countries in 1985, the pass only remains open for travel and trade between April and November.
Traders also briefed the chief collector on other issues related to the business activities between China and Pakistan through the Khunjerab Pass.Last month, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) gave the chief collector of Customs Appraisement (North) jurisdiction over GB.
During his visit to the Sost Dry port near Khunjerab Pass, Mr Naeem met traders and discussed their issues.
The traders said trade activities between Pakistan and China were a source of income for thousands of locals. Historically, GB people carried out barter trade through the old Silk Route, which was replaced with modern trade after the construction of the Karakoram Highway in 1977.
