Visa condition for drivers hundreds of trucks stuck after Afghan govt shuts border

PESHAWAR: Hundreds of loaded vehicles were stuck on bother sides of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan after the Afghan government closed border crossing with Pakistan on Tuesday to protest recent decision of the government not to allow the Afghan drivers without legal travel documents.

The months-long tension between the two countries had badly affected the transit trade, causing heavy losses to traders of the two countries.According to official sources in Torkham border of Khyber tribal district, the Afghan authorities without prior intimation shut gates by closing movement of vehicles between the two sides.

“Within no time, hundreds of loaded vehicles were stuck on main roads on both sides of the border. It caused heavy losses to the traders of the two countries,” an official of the district administration said on condition of anonymity.

He , however , said that talks between officials of the two sides were held later in the evening and it was agreed to open the border for traffic. He said it was too late when the border was reopened and the loaded trucks could not cross the border to enter either side.

The latest tension was triggered by the recent decision of the Pakistan government not to allow the Afghan drivers to enter the country without having legal travel documents.This decision was withdrawn for the time being, the official said.

According to the traders, tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan had badly affected the transit trade and people associated with the trade.“The trade between the two countries was already in crisis due to unfriendly attitude of the authorities with traders and now the Afghan government has closed their border crossing with Pakistan in Torkham and suspended all trade activities.The Pakistan government has asked the Afghan drivers to enter their country with legal travel documents,” said Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a Pakistani trade leader and director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said that hundreds of loaded vehicles were stranded on both sides of the border following closure of the border. Sarhadi said there were already serious issues in trade between the two countries, but the latest decision of the Pakistan government to stop the Afghan drivers from entering the country without visa has complicated the situation.

“The Afghan government as a protest had closed its border with Pakistan and suspended the trade between the two countries. The Afghan traders were already upset when the Pakistan government on October 3 imposed 10 percent processing tax on 212 items being imported to Afghanistan under the transit trade from the Karachi port,” Sarhadi, explained.

“Presently there are 3500 Afghan containers stuck in Karachi port, apparently due to harsh conditions. The two countries should realise genuine issues of their people and particularly traders and bring improvement to the bilateral relations and trade”, he added.