Khyber - Clearing Agents’ Association, Torkham, on Monday boycotted the clearing process to condemn unnecessary restrictions imposed on the Torkham border.
President Torkham Clearing Agent Association Hazrat Umar Shinwari said that since long the clearing agents were facing multiple problems. “We conveyed over problems to the concerned departments but to no avail. Therefore we have no other option but to halt the clearing process. A protest camp of the clearing agents is also set up in Torkham,” he added.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had inaugurated the 7/24 scheme to keep the border round the clock, however the plan could not be materialised. “After passing through the export scanner, there is no need to examine the loaded truck manually,” he said and suggested that clearing process of perishable items at Torkham Custom Centre should be made after 05:00 pm.
He demanded to reserve a separate site for export and import examination to speed up the clearing process.
The clearing agents, he said, had threatened that their strike would continue till acceptance of their demands.
Due to clearing agents’ strike, hundreds of loaded vehicles were stuck at both sides of the border. Long queues of trailers could be witnessed at Landi Kotal-Torkham Road.
Talks between office-bearers of the clearing agents and custom officials, supervised by Commandant Khyber Rifles was held in Forces Cantonment but ended fruitless.