Torkham trade halted as Pakistan stops Afghan drivers without admission document

The movement of cargo trucks at the Torkham border has been halted over Afghan drivers not possessing the temporary admission document (TAD), a senior member of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) said on Thursday.

Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, PAJCCI coordinator for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told Dawn.com that a July 31 deadline for the Afghan truck drivers to get TAD expired on Wednesday night.

“Pakistan had given time to Afghan drivers to get TAD until July 15. Then it was extended until July 31 on request by the Afghan side,” Sarhadi said.

He said Afghan officials had told Pakistan not to allow those drivers who did not have TAD to cross the border from August 1.

“But when Pakistan started implementing the decision and stopped Afghan drivers who did not have TAD, the Afghan side also stopped Pakistan’s trucks from entering Afghanistan,” he said.

Afghanistan Commerce Ministry’s spokesperson Abdul Salam Jawad also confirmed the closure of Torkham for cargo trucks. He said several drivers had not yet gotten the TAD.

“We are involved in discussions with Pakistan to resolve the issue,” he told Dawn.com.

In June, the government began the implementation of a plan allowing Afghan transporters to enter Pakistan by displaying the TAD at border points to facilitate speedy bilateral trade between the two countries.

However, the majority of Afghan drivers have not received the TAD which led to the halt of imports and exports today.

In March, Pakistan and Afghanistan had reached an agreement introduction of the TAD for trade vehicle drivers in talks in Kabul.

Former Commerce secretary Mohammad Khurram Agha had visited Afghanistan from March 24-27 and made progress in talks on bilateral trade and transit with Afghan Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi.

The transporters’ documentation was a complicated issue that led to the closure of the Torkham border in January this year.

Afghanistan closed the Torkham border on January 13 after Pakistan implemented a new policy, making it mandatory for Afghan drivers to have a valid visa to enter the country.

The border was reopened after 10 days following Pakistan’s withdrawal of its decision.

Afghan and Pakistan drivers will be provided TAD for a one-year trial period, which is being implemented from June 2024 onwards.

The Pakistani embassy in Kabul issues TAD to Afghan drivers and cleaners. On the other hand, the Afghan consulate in Peshawar issued the same documents to Pakistan’s transporters, Afghan Consul General Hafiz Mohibullah told Dawn.com.

The Afghan diplomat said an official from Kabul had arrived at the consulate to issue the TAD to Pakistani transporters.