The Pakistan cement exporters union Thursday again stopped at least 1000 trucks carrying cement from Pakistan to Afghanistan and Central Asian states to record their protest against double increase in entry tax by the Afghan authorities.



The trucks, each loaded with 50 tons cement, were stopped at Torkham border on both sides of the Pakistan and Afghanistan to force the Afghan authorities to withdraw the tax hike immediately.

“The Afghan officials have increased the soil tax twice in two months, which is not affordable for truckers,” a transporter, Rehmatullah, told The News. 

He said that an agreement had been reached between the transporters union and the Afghan authorities two months ago through which the Afghan government would not exceed tax from Rs5,000 per truckload of cement but the accord was being violated now.