PESHAWAR: Pakistan announced on Tuesday to impose a 10 percent processing fee on several items imported from Afghanistan under a transit trade agreement in a step that has been viewed as an attempt to stop illegal entry of goods into the country from the neighboring state.
The government launched an intense crackdown against smugglers and black marketers last month to bolster the country’s weakening economy and bring down the prices of essential items in the market.
The counter smuggling operation prevented the flight of foreign currencies from Pakistan, leading to the stabilization of its value somewhat subsiding the inflationary pressure in the economy.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 18D of the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969), the Federal Government is pleased to impose processing fee at the rate of 10 percent ad valorem on the following Afghan transit Commercial goods imported into Afghanistan in transit via Pakistan,” said a customs department notification while listing down the items.
These included confectionaries and chocolates, footwear, mechanical and electrical machinery, blankets and home textiles, and garments.
Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported customs officials “suspect that certain goods, though destined for Afghanistan, are clandestinely rerouted back into Pakistan, prompting this latest measure.”
However, the official notification said goods declarations filed prior to the decision on Tuesday would be exempt from the processing fee.
Pakistan has also announced to crack down on illegal immigrants, mostly Afghans, residing in the country, asking them to leave before the end of the month.
Pakistan imposes 10 percent fee on Afghan transit trade items
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Pakistan imposes 10 percent fee on Afghan transit trade items
- The decision comes amid an intense crackdown against smugglers and hoarders to bolster the weakening economy
- Officials say the move will prevent items destined for Afghanistan to be brought into Pakistani markets by traders
Suicide bomber kills at least five at wedding in northwest Pakistan
- Attack took place in Dera Ismail Khan, targeting the home of a local peace committee member
- Peace committees are community-based groups that report militant activity to security forces
PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber killed at least five people and wounded 10 others after detonating explosives at a wedding ceremony in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, officials said, in an attack that underscored persistent militant violence in the country’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The blast took place at the home of a local peace committee member in Dera Ismail Khan district, where guests had gathered for a wedding, police and emergency officials said.
Peace committees in the region are informal, community-based groups that work with security forces to report militant activity and maintain order, making their members frequent targets of attacks.
“A blast occurred near Qureshi Moor in Dera Ismail Khan. Authorities have recovered five bodies and shifted 10 injured to hospital,” said Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the provincial Rescue 1122 emergency service, adding that the rescue operation was ongoing.
Police said the attacker blew himself up inside the house during the ceremony and that the bomber’s head had been recovered, confirming it was a suicide attack.
Several members of the local peace committee were present at the time, raising fears the toll could rise.
District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada said authorities had launched an investigation into the incident, while security forces sealed off the area.
Militant attacks have surged in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the Taliban returned to power in neighboring
Afghanistan in 2021, with the administration in Islamabad blaming the Afghan government for “facilitating” cross-border attacks targeting Pakistani civilians and security forces. However, Kabul has repeatedly denied the allegation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also seen frequent intelligence-based operations by security forces targeting suspected militants.
No group has immediately claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack.
