The President, Jammu & Kashmir Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JK-JCCI) Javid Ahmad Tenga, said that it is a matter of concern that arbitrary ban has been imposed by the government on barter of four items of the 21 agreed tradable items.
The JK-JCCI said that it has been advocating for adding more tradable fast selling items to the existing 21 items list to make the LOC trade broad based and meaningful but the government is instead banning the items already allowed under the system, which tends to drive the LOC traders to wall and forcing them to stop the trade.
JK-JCCI said that it supports the demand of LOC traders for revocation of the ban and removal of the trade facilitation officer immediately.
Tenga, discussed the LOC trade related issues with the Joint Secretary Home, GOI, Gyanesh Kumar in a meeting held with him on February 26, 2018 at Delhi, Incharge LOC trade and has sought a broad based meeting with him to be held at Srinagar by the JK-JCCI Executive Committee to appreciate and sort out the issues impeding the smooth conduct of LOC trade faster.
The President has requested the LOC traders to not to go for any further strike for some time after the assurance of the officer concerned to do the necessary.
Earlier, the Salamabad Cross LoC Traders Union (SCLTU) had staged a protest against Trade Facilitation Officer (TFO) accusing him of harassment and ‘imposing ban of certain items’.
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The protesters threatened to wind up their business if the government fails to revoke the ban imposed recently on four items.
Hilal Turkie, President SCLTU, had said that cross LoC traders are dismayed over the ban on four main items of trade; Pistachio, Jaye Nimaz, Miswak, Charmagaz and Anardana.
He said that TFO, Preet Pal Singh is acting like dictator who is hell bent to impose ban on certain trade items. “His behavior is not up to mark,” he said.
“If authorities do not revoke the recent order all SCLTU traders will close cross LoC trade,” Turkie said.
He said that cancellation of these items has come as a shock to the cross LoC trading community and such reduction of items makes trade difficult.
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