Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar announced a firm stance against illegal trade and smuggling during a press conference at the PM House on Friday. He emphasized the implementation of a comprehensive management plan to curb cross-border smuggling, vowing zero tolerance for those involved in this illicit trade.
The Prime Minister’s statement came in response to inquiries about Pakistan’s strategy to control cross-border smuggling, especially in light of the recent reopening of the Torkham border with Afghanistan after a nine-day closure.
Kakar highlighted extensive discussions concerning Afghan transit trade and the reopening of the Torkham border, indicating that the Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with border management authorities and customs, was revising trade policies to regulate the flow of goods.
He dismissed concerns that anti-smuggling measures might affect the livelihoods of local residents along the border regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, emphasizing that these areas deserved legitimate and lawful trade rather than smuggling activities.
Regarding Afghan refugees involved in smuggling, Kakar explained that a comprehensive policy had been established, classifying Afghan residents in Pakistan into different categories, including registered individuals, aliens without proper justification for residency, and identity theft cases. He emphasized the need to repatriate Afghan aliens and enforce visa regulations strictly.
The Prime Minister also stressed the connection between smuggling and the potential reinforcement of terrorist organizations and non-state actors, underlining counter-terrorism as a top priority for the caretaker government.
In terms of domestic issues, Kakar acknowledged that global factors were responsible for the rise in petroleum prices during the caretaker government’s tenure. He expressed the government’s commitment to improving governance and hinted at plans to introduce convenient instalment plans for electricity consumers using up to 200 units of electricity.
Kakar also addressed concerns about the alignment of former civil servants, Fawad Hasan Fawad and Ahad Cheema, in the caretaker setup, asserting that they were capable individuals with no political party affiliations. He emphasized the government’s determination to break the cycle of misappropriation and take appropriate legal actions against those responsible.
