Temporary Exemption for Afghanistan’s Exports to Pakistan from Certificate of Origin Requirement
Following successful negotiations between Pakistan’s customs authorities and representatives of the country’s traders, it has been decided that imports from Afghanistan to Pakistan will be temporarily exempt from providing a certificate of origin until June 30, 2025.
According to Kabul 24, this decision aims to facilitate trade between the two countries and address existing barriers at the Torkham border crossing. Media reports from Pakistan indicate that this temporary exemption was announced after 667 trucks carrying export goods from Afghanistan were halted at the Torkham crossing due to the lack of a certificate of origin. These trucks were stopped as a result of stringent customs regulations at the border.
Azad Mehdi, a Pakistan customs official, stated that effective negotiations were held with a delegation of traders regarding the requirement for a certificate of origin for imports from Afghanistan. He clarified that, under the regulations of Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), a certificate of origin is mandatory for all goods imported from Afghanistan.
However, a special exemption has been granted for certain items, such as cotton, beans, coal, and soapstone, to facilitate trade in these products. This temporary exemption allows traders to clear their shipments by providing a written undertaking instead of a certificate of origin until the specified deadline of June 30, 2025.
This decision is expected to have a significant impact on trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan, as the Torkham crossing is one of the most critical commercial routes between the two nations. The stoppage of hundreds of trucks at this border had not only caused delays in goods delivery but also created numerous economic and logistical challenges for traders and drivers.
The temporary exemption from the certificate of origin requirement provides traders with an opportunity to deliver their goods to the Pakistani market without bureaucratic obstacles.
