Customs deadlock: traders forcefully retrieve 100 vehicles at Khunjerab border

GILGIT: Amid rising tensions between local traders and Customs authorities at the Khunjerab border, small traders have taken away approximately 100 freight-carrying small vehicles stranded at the Sost baggage section without clearance, citing “delays in Customs processing as the primary reason for their actions”.

Sources said that these small-scale traders, frustrated by prolonged delays and what they claim as the arbitrary imposition of heavy taxes by Customs officials, took the matter into their own hands and removed their vehicles without waiting for formal clearance. This move comes after several months of waiting for their goods to be processed through Customs, which had significantly hampered their businesses.

The baggage trade at the Khunjerab border is vital in facilitating cross-border commerce between Pakistan and China. This trade allows small traders to import and export goods, typically in smaller quantities in the form of pieces of baggage. Since the reopening of the border in April this year, trade activities have remained uncertain due to the imposition and increase in taxes, which has led to litigation.

Initially, individuals were permitted to import goods in small quantities as baggage, but this concession was withdrawn, requiring traders to import goods collectively by booking vehicles and paying the applicable taxes at the border. Despite complying with these new regulations, many traders found their vehicles stranded at the Sost Baggage Section, awaiting clearance for extended periods.

Also read: Pak-China trade at Khunjerab Border resumes after 17-day protest

The traders allege that the Customs department’s slow processing times and the financial burden of high taxes have left them in a precarious economic position. Many traders claim that their businesses are on the verge of collapse due to the prolonged standstill, prompting them to take drastic measures.

In response to the situation, law enforcement agencies have initiated a series of raids in various warehouses and locations across the region to recover the vehicles. According to sources, police are working to track down the taken-away vehicles and have asked the traders to cooperate in the recovery process.

Speaking to HUM News English, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sher Khan confirmed the incident, stating that the traders took the vehicles without paying the required taxes. He added that Deputy Commissioner Hunza, Mehreen Faheem, is currently engaged in discussions with the traders to resolve the matter and secure the return of the vehicles. “We have asked the traders to provide accurate details of the vehicles that were taken away, and efforts are underway to recover them,” Sher Khan said. The SSP assured that the situation in the border town remains under control and that authorities are working towards a peaceful resolution.

Multiple attempts to obtain a statement from Customs authorities have been unsuccessful, and no official response has been released regarding the incident or the traders’ grievances.