Afghanistan: Truck drivers urge Taliban, Pakistan to facilitate reopening of Torkham border crossing
Jan 16, 2024
Kabul [Afghanistan], January 16 : Truck drivers have urged the Taliban and Pakistan to sit for negotiations and facilitate the immediate reopening of the Torkham border crossing, TOLO News reported.
Notably, the Torkham crossing has remained blocked for three consecutive days.
The drivers said that they have suffered severe economic losses.
A truck driver, Jabar Momand, said: "We want them to bring facilities in the issuance of visas. Pakistan wants a passport and also a visa. The issuance of visas is difficult."
"It has been three days since the Torkham crossing was closed. We have fresh fruits which we want to transfer to Pakistan," another driver said.
Officials within the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said that Pakistan closed the gate as the Afghan drivers lacked visas. However, they stressed that truck drivers with electronic ID cards should be allowed to cross the crossing.
"We believe that the closure of Torkham crossing affects both sides and we want to have trade with the neighbouring and regional countries," said deputy head of the ACCI Mohammad Younus Momand.
"We want the Taliban, particularly, Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban's acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, to travel to Pakistan and find a solution for the problem which we always face," said Zalmai Azemi, a trader.
The Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber called Pakistan's decision unilateral and said that a mechanism should be formed in transit and trade between Kabul and Islamabad, as per TOLO News.
The chief executive officer of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber, Naqibullah Safi, said: "This is a unilateral decision. Kabul and Islamabad should form a mechanism that should be implemented."
This comes as Hasibullah Gardezi, head of Paktia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told TOLO News that Kharlasi Gate in Dand-e-Patan district has been closed to transit from Pakistan's side since Sunday.
According to him, visas have been requested from the drivers at this gate. Gardizi said that because thr gate is closed, many vehicles are stuck on both sides.
