North America Edition
Pakistani customs authorities have allowed clearance of fruits and vegetables, imported from Afghanistan at Torkham border post, with a temporary waiver of Plant Protection Quarantine Certificate (PPQC) until October 2. The decision was taken in consultation with civil and military authorities, owing to huge financial losses to local importers and absence of proper plant protection staff and quarantine facilities at the border.
Some 200 vehicles, mostly loaded with fruits and vegetables, got stranded on the Afghanistan side of the border when Pakistan imposed the condition of producing PPQC at the time of clearance of all the edibles imported from the neighboring country.
Traders welcomed the recent reopening of border, after a weeklong closure, but their joy was marred by the new condition of producing PPQC for imported edibles that suddenly halted the custom clearance process of nearly 200 loaded vehicles.
Source: dawn.com
