Pakistan has been working to construct a big customs complex at Torkham border to improve trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics.
“The state-of-the-art border complex is being constructed at Torkham to improve facilities related to clearance of goods laden trucks crossing border to Afghanistan and CARs,” Collector Customs Peshawar said.
Qurban Ali Khan added that the current checking and clearing process at Torkhem border takes up to 24 hours but after the complex is built the process duration would be reduced to one hour.
Khan further said that the complex covering 700 kanals (about 87.5 acres) land would be the first of its kind in the country comprising custom and immigration offices, two-way custom and immigration terminals, checking and scanning plazas for pedestrians, passenger and cargo vehicles with other infrastructure and fully computerized system.
“Border Custom Complex is a step towards achievement of goals set under CAREC (Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation), a partnership of 10 countries and six multilateral development partners working to promote development through cooperation, leading to accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction,” he said.
According to Khan, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing $300 million loan for execution of the project on soft term basis to Pakistan while National Logistic Cell (NLC) is implementing the project which includes construction of similar border complex at Wagha post on Pak-India border and at Chaman in Balochistan.
