KANDAHAR CITY (SW) – A number of traders in Kandahar say that trade on the Spinboldak highway has dropped by 50 percent due to the added levies and other problems.
According to them, along the Spineboldak highway, in addition to collecting taxes, money is collected from merchants via various letters, and a tocken number is issued against a fee for trucks by the Department of Transportation, and each vehicle is obliged to carry the merchants’ property in turn.
These merchants added that many businesses have now been restricted by the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has resulted in many problems for traders.
Salahuddin, one of the businessmen, told Salam Watandar that the problems had been exacerbated by both the Pakistani and Afghan governments.
Gul Mohammad, another Kandahari businessman, acknowledges these problems, saying that trade on the Spinboldak route is now fraught with difficulties. According to him, importing goods from this route costs them a lot of money, as a result of which imports have decreased. He added that trade in almost 10 southern provinces had declined.
However, officials at the Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Investment say the cause of the problems for traders on the Spinboldak route is Pakistan.
Abdul Baqi Bina, deputy head of the Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Investment, told Salam Watandar that the problems of businessmen have increased with the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate.
On the other hand, Jarullah Agha, the head of Kandahar customs, says that although most of the problems are caused by Pakistan, there are problems inside Kandahar that they are trying to solve. He added that Pakistan wants to reduce trade through Spinboldak and increase it in other directions.
It should be noted that the gates at the Spinboldak – Chaman are open to commercial activities only 12 hours out of 24 hours a day between Afghanistan’s and Pakistan.
ENDS
