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       KHYBER: The gradual takeover of customs clearance responsibilities of trade goods at Torkham border by National Logistics Corporation (NLC) has attracted the wrath of customs clearing agents as local labourers too feel threatened about losing their long time occupation.

       Sources told this scribe that NLC recently started approaching major exporters for utilising their goods clearance services at the newly-established border terminal while assuring them of a smooth and prompt clearance process, though at the cost of sidelining local customs clearing agents.

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       They said that though the new terminal was not yet formally inaugurated, NLC acquired goods clearance licences from Karachi and imperceptibly started clreance of export-related goods at the terminal.

       “Initially NLC had one or two licences with most of the goods clearance conducted through local clearing agents but now it has acquired more customs clearance licences and has started taking over the entire process gradually,” said sources.

       TCCAA president announces to hold protest today

       They said that NLC was bringing trade merchandise in its own vehicles that were swiftly cleared and then issued gate pass for crossing over to Afghanistan without any security clearance or any other obstacle.

       “On the other hand, non-NLC vehicles are made to wait for long hours and at times even for days for customs clearance on the pretext of parkin g congestion at the terminal, technical fault in the scanning machine or security clearance by border security forces,” they alleged and added that delay in clearance of private vehicles was aimed at discouraging local customs clearing agents.

       Sources said that NLC had also struck a deal with Afghan Transit Trade dealers in Karachi to use its vehicles for transportation of their goods from Karachi to Afghanistan in lieu of speedy customs clearance process at Torkham.

       Local transporters said that the new deal with Afghan Transit Trade dealers would deprive hundreds of local transporters of their legitimate earnings.

       They said that they faced difficulties in getting visa as government had made acquisition of visa mandatory for them but NLC made all necessary legal arrangements for its vehicles and drivers to facilitate their prompt crossing of border while transporting trade cargoes between Pakistan and Afghanistan and even going up to some Central Asian States.

       Local customs clearance agents told Dawn that NLC also stopped sharing with them daily data of vehicle clearance as it started its own clearance through Transport International Route (TIR) system.

       Meanwhile, Torkham Customs Clearing Agents Association (TCCAA) president Mujeebullah Shinwari said that NLC’s taking over of goods clearance process under its control was tantamount to strangulating local clearing agents, transporters and poor daily wagers and forcibly depriving them of their respective occupations.

       He said that as a private contractor of the border terminal, NLC overstepped its authority by forcibly occupying additional land of a local tribe by violating the written agreement about the size of the land required for terminal construction while now it was depriving local traders and businessmen of their legitimate business which was given due protection in the written agreement between NLC and Khugakhel tribe.

       He said that his association would hold a protest at Torkham today (Monday) against what he called repeated violation by NLC of the written agreement with the local tribe.

       Farman Shinwari, leader of Torkham labourer union, was equally apprehensive about the NLC policy of depriving local daily wagers of their jobs by inviting tenders for porter service which was aimed at regulating pedestrian movement at Torkham.

       He said that more than 5,000 daily wagers and other labourers were currently employed at Torkham to facilitate porter service and load and unload vehicles. “With NLC subletting these services to non-local contractors, locals will lose their jobs and thus confronting them with serious financial woes,” he added.

       This scribe approached NLC officials for their reaction to the new developments at the new border terminal and the accusations and reservations of local clearing agents, transporters and labourers, but no response was given.

       Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2025