Dry port to be set up at Sust

By Ikram Hoti

ISLAMABAD: The coming budget will introduce a package of facilities for Pak-China trade by setting up a dry port at Sust border post between the two countries, official sources said.

The volume of trade between the two countries is expected to double with the creation of this dry port.

The burden of investment for creating the dry port has been borne by the Chinese government as a trust of traders from both sides has organised for facilitating the Urumqui-Sust transportation and warehousing of goods.

The physical infrastructure is almost in final stages while the relevant tax and other facilities would be announced in the forthcoming federal budget, the sources added.

Procedures are also being laid down as part of the federal budget exercise to facilitate the dry port in district-level services and taxes.

In the future trade between India and Pakistan, the role of this dry port is going to be doubled, say relevant officials.

They added that certain procedures are going to be attached to the handling of goods at Sust facility that would prevent movement of up and down country goods without scrutiny by the Customs officials. Sust has been notorious for a channel of smuggling of foreign goods into Pakistan and dumping of the Chinese products.

jang.com.pk