Newly Appointed DS Railways Apprised About Business Community Problems

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jan, 2025) Chairman Standing Committee of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce on Railways and Dryport, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi called on the newly appointed Divisional Superintendent (DS) Pakistan Railways Peshawar, Inamullah at his office and congratulated him on his appointment in Peshawar.

According to a press release issued here on Friday, during vist, Zia Sarhadi felicitated the new DS and apprised him about the problems being faced by business community especially exporters and importers.

Zia apprised DS Railways that the Azakhel Dry Port, which was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Imran Khan five years ago, could not be made properly functional.

At the Azhakhel dry port, built over an area of 28 acres at a cost of about Rs. 600 million, traders were assured about one-window operation and more facilities.

It was also annouced that a Peshawar-Karachi export cargo train will be operated which will provide considerable convenience to the exporters and business people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in exports and imports, Zia added.

Similarly, train carrying goods from Karachi under Afghan Transit Train and other items will also arrive at the dry port, but this has not been implemented yet.

Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, who is also the Senior Vice President of the Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) said that for the last 20 years the export cargo train from the Peshawar Cantt Dry Port of the Railways has been closed.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he continued, has been blessed with other goods besides natural minerals, including gems, marble, furniture, tobacco, handicrafts, carpets, honey and other items.

Instead of being exported through the export cargo train, they are taken from Peshawar to Karachi in private trucks and after customs clearance in Karachi itself, various shipping agents export them abroad.

This unwise move has made more than 250 customs clearing agents of our province unemployed, Zia claimed.

He said that due to the inaction of Pakistan Railways, 70 percent of the goods brought in the Afghan transit trade have been shifted to the ports of Bandar Abbas and Chabahar in Iran, which has led to the loss of jobs. Pakistan Railways is suffering losses of crores of rupees.

Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, who is also the President of Frontier Customs Agents Association (FCAA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also demanded goods trains from Peshawar Cantt.

He also demanded restoration of Khushall Khan train service from Peshawar which was mostly used by poor and labourers because of passing through interior Punjab.

Speakin on the occasion, DS Inamullah assured the solution of all the problems faced by business community and people of the region.

He said he will play an effective role in solving these problems so that the business community can reap the benefits of this dry port.