PESHAWAR: The business community here on Tuesday urged the government and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to retain cash kiosk facilities until a banking channel and Web-Based One Custom (WeboC) system are operationalised on Ghulam Khan, Kharlachi and Angoor Adda trade routes.
The demand was made by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Sherbaz Bilour during a video link meeting on the operationalisation of the trade routines organised by SBP.
SCCI Senior Vice President Engineer Manzoor Elahi, SCCI Vice President Junaid Altaf, former president Zahidullah Shinwari, and former senior vice presidents Shahid Hussain and Ziaul Haq Sarhadi were amongst the keynote speakers at the webinar meeting.
Senior officials and representatives from the customs department, SBP, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), and other relevant government authorities participated through a video link.
The participants appreciated the introduction of an Alternate Delivery Channel (ADC) system to facilitate the business community.
However, the speakers stressed on the urgent need for a banking channel and WeBoC system at the three trade routes.
Sherbaz Bilour reminded that the government, in light of a 2014 notification, should make the routes rebatable.
He also sought permission to import and export cargo along with transit trade vehicles through the routes, stating that it would help enhance bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in addition, to easily accessing central Asian countries.
A senior official of the customs department informed the meeting that the WeBoC system would be made operational within the next one month at the Ghulam Khan, while three months would be required to initiate the system at Angoor Adda.
Further, Manzoor Elahi and other participants welcomed the introduction of the ADC mechanism saying that the step would facilitate the business community.
However, they emphasised that the cash booth facility should remain intact until other systems are smoothly running at the aforementioned trade routes, warning that traders, importers and exporters would face difficulties otherwise.
