Landi Kotal:
Negotiations between customs authorities and merchants have proven successful, resulting in a temporary exemption for the requirement of the certificate of origin on Afghan imports until June 30.
According to the Collector of Customs Azood Mehdi, productive discussions were maintained with a delegation that represents merchants with respect to the certificate of mandatory origin of the imported goods of Afghanistan.
The collector clarified that, under the regulations of the Federal Income Board (FBR), the certificate is a legal requirement for all Afghan imports.
However, a special exemption for specific goods has been granted, including cotton, beans, coal and steatita.
A total of 667 cargo vehicles that transported these articles on the Torkham border had been stopped due to the absence of the required documentation.
Now these authorized shipments will be allowed when submitting an affidavit in writing, instead of the certificate, valid until June 30.
After the deadline, all Afghan imports must be accompanied by the certificate of origin without exception.
The merchants have welcomed the temporal relief and expressed their gratitude to the customs authorities for flexibility and cooperation.
