The government of Pakistan has ordered the release of containers belonging to Afghan traders which were stalled at Karachi port for about three months, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said Sunday.
ACCI officials were skeptical it meant anything had been resolved, describing it as a "provisional and political game" timed with the London trilateral conference between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Britain beginning today.
ACCI vice-chairman Jan Khan Alokozai described it as a token moved but Pakistan had yet to show any real effort to resolve the problems at its port.
"We don't know why the decision for loading the containers of Afghan traders was made so unexpectedly - and at the same time with the Pakistani president's visit to Britain," he told TOLOnews.
A number of Afghan traders have suggested Karzai needs to intervene and resolve the containers issue, while some economic experts criticised the Afghan government saying it does not follow up the commitments promised by the neighbouring countries.
"Unfortunately, our government does not show any seriousness at meetings and conferences and have no consideration towards their people," said Taj Mohammad Akbar, economics teacher at Kabul University.
The ACCI has urged Afghan traders quickly transport their goods from Karachi and are advising them to not use the port. It has also called on the Afghan government to convince Pakistan to pay compensation for the traders losses.
According to officials, Afghan traders were collectively charged about $1 million a day for the 3,700 containers stalled at the port.