RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) has called for the opening of both Chaman and Torkham border to resume trade between both countries suspended in wake of the outbreak of Corona Virus pandemic.

Talking to this scribe, Ahmad Shah, an Afghan director of the joint chamber said that both transit borders are closed since last one that is not only creating problems for Afghanistan, rather also for nearly 100 Pakistanis truck drivers stranded on Afghan side.

He said that though the office bearers of the joint chambers and government officials of the ministries of commerce in both countries are in constant touch with other and exchanging proposals for the resolution of the issue.

He said that Pakistan has proposed the establishment of a Qurantine Centre on Afghan side till April 10, 2020 to quarantine drivers on Afghan side for a period of 14 days and arrival they would be quarantined for the same period that he said not feasible.

He requested Pakistani authorities to review the decision and soft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). He said that Pakistani drivers should go one kilometer inside Afghanistan and returned Pakistan without coming out of their trucks.

The second proposal, he said is the establishment blood sample collection point at zero point of both crossings for sending it to laboratory for Corona Virus test and in case the result come negative, then the driver concerned should be allowed to enter Pakistan. Otherwise, he should be sent to quarantine centre.