Bannu: Traders in Asia’s largest pine nut market have expressed concerns over massive financial losses caused by a slump in business following the closure of Zain Store by Lahore Customs. The disruption has halted the export of pine nuts to Asian and European countries, causing warehouses in the open market of Bannu to overflow with unsold stock.
President of the Pine Nut Market, Malik Lawyer Khan Wazir, along with other traders, staged a protest, stating that they have been involved in the pine nut trade for the past 60 years without any interference from customs authorities, as their business complies with legal requirements. He explained that traders pay all government dues, including customs duty and agricultural taxes, to legally transport pine nuts from Shawal (North Waziristan), Gilgit-Baltistan, and South Waziristan to Bannu. The nuts are then sorted and shipped to Lahore for export to China and European countries.
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However, for the past week, Lahore Customs Collector Muhammad Syed Wattoo has illegally sealed the Zain Store, where 50,000 sacks of pine nuts are stored. Khan emphasized that pine nuts, like vegetables, are perishable and can lose weight if not sold in time. He added that in just one week, the price of pine nuts has dropped by Rs. 150,000 per maund (40 kg).
Appealing to Army Chief General Asim Munir, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Malik Lawyer Khan Wazir stated that tribal traders legally transport pine nuts through proper channels and that labeling them as smuggled Afghan goods is an injustice. He urged authorities to unseal the cold storage facilities, warning that the nation’s economy is also suffering losses worth billions due to unsold stock in Bannu and Lahore.
Khan further revealed that traders from Gilgit-Baltistan, Zhob, Chitral, and Waziristan are united and will block national highways if their demands are not met.
Notably, a recent report highlighted the positive economic impact of pine nut cultivation in South Waziristan under the Pakistan Army's afforestation initiative, which has contributed Rs. 14 billion to the local economy.
