ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to resume the Afghan transit trade following the recent ceasefire agreement between Islamabad and Kabul, with the Directorate of Transit Trade issuing a phased restoration procedure.
In a statement, the directorate said that the cargo clearance process would be completed in three stages. In the first phase, nine vehicles that were sent back after the closure of Bab-e-Dosti will be cleared. The second phase will involve the processing of 74 vehicles that had returned from the NLC terminal, while in the third phase, 217 vehicles parked at the halting yard will be cleared for onward movement to Afghanistan.
Customs authorities confirmed that formal directives have been issued for the gradual restoration of transit operations, beginning with the Chaman border route.
Separately, trade officials in Chaman said that hundreds of cargo vehicles remain stranded due to the prolonged suspension. They noted that over 370 trucks are parked in different cities across the province, while around 300 are stationed at various terminals in Chaman city.
Additionally, more than 500 freight vehicles and 150 trucks involved in the Central Asian transit trade are still waiting for border clearance.
On October 20, it was reported that the Pakistan-Afghanistan border is likely to reopen within 48 hours. Pakistan closed the Torkham and Chaman borders with Afghanistan on October 12 after the Afghan Taliban, in association with their affiliated militants, attacked multiple Pakistan armed forces posts along the border.