- Title: Pakistani businessman says taxes on trade with Afghanistan reduced by Taliban
- Date: 17th September 2021
- Summary: CHAMAN BORDER, PAKISTAN (SEPTEMBER 17, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TRUCKS CARRYING GOODS CROSSING TO PAKISTAN VARIOUS OF TRUCKS LINED UP TO GO TO AFGHANISTAN VARIOUS OF LABOURERS LOADING FRUIT BOXES ON TRUCK VARIOUS OF POMEGRANATES TRUCKS LABOURERS LOADING BOXES ON TRUCK (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF CHAMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HAJI REHMATULLAH PEHLWAN, SAYING: "The taxes with the previous Afghan government were high. The taxes have been reduced gradually since this Islamic Emirate government came into power." TRUCKS ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF CHAMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HAJI REHMATULLAH PEHLWAN, SAYING: "Earlier the taxes from Pakistan were going there (Afghanistan) in (U.S) dollars but now they are being paid in Pakistani rupee. Now the taxes are reduced. It is a facility (for us)." TRUCKS LINED UP
- Embargoed: 1st October 2021 14:14
- Keywords: Afghanistan Pakistan border crossing taxes trade
- Location: CHAMAN BORDER, PAKISTAN
- City: CHAMAN BORDER, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001EV3VP6V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: QUALITY AS INCOMING
A Pakistani businessman on the southwestern border town of Chaman said on Friday (September 17) that the Taliban had reduced taxes on transit trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Haji Rehmatullah, an executive member of the Chaman Chamber of Commerce told Reuters that the previous Afghan government's taxes were high but they were being gradually reduced since the Taliban take over of the country.
Trucks loaded with export and Afghan transit goods could be seen passing through the border into Pakistan with commercial traffic also moving from Pakistan to Afghanistan's Spin Boldak and nearby provincial capital of Kandahar.
Rehmatullah estimated tax was being charged at between 12,000 ($71.50) to 15,000 ($89.46) Rupees; a significant decrease from an original charge of 20,000 Rupees ($119.29).
According to Rehmatullah, taxes are no longer being charged in U.S. dollars, but the Pakistani Rupee instead.
Along with the Tokham crossing near Peshawar, Chaman is one of the main trade routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A Pakistani official, commenting on condition of anonymity, said trade had picked up over recent days after fighting ended in Kandahar and the fall of Kabul last month gave the Taliban complete control of the country.
The Vice President of Pakistan-Afghanistan joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Imran Khan Kakar, told Reuters last month that Pakistani drivers had previously faced problems returning from Afghanistan.
He said the police and other armed people had been allowing empty trucks to proceed only after taking payments ranging from 10,000-20,000 Pakistani rupees ($59.63 - 119.29).
(Production: Waseem Sattar, Shahabuddin Shahab) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None