KHYBER
Pak-Afghan trade temporarily suspended the last day when entry and exit of transporters were denied without visa and Temporary Admission Document (TAD) here at Torkham border, custom official said.
According to the custom official in Torkham, on the direction of their highup, they imposed the law with immediate effect, aimed to regularize the Pak-Afghan mutual trade at the border.
He maintained that the transport community had been warned months back and a deadline had been set for them to get their proper travelling documents but they declined to take it seriously.
Hundreds of trucks loaded with export and import merchandise goods stuck at both sides of the crossing, transporters said.
Local businessman and leader of Jamiat Ullema-e-Islam,Fazalrehman(JUI-F), Qari Nazeem Gul said that the introduction of new regulations each day had affected the bilateral business between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He maintained that because of the anti-trade policy, the Afghan market had been completely held by Iran.
The Pak authorities enforced visa and TAD conditions for both Afghan and Pakistani transporters and in reaction the Afghan government refused to renew TAD of Pakistani drivers that brought trade to halt, he remarked.
He emphasized the Pak and Afghan governments to grant temporary relaxation to the transporters and set up special desks at the crossing to provide visa and other necessary travelling documents to drivers on the spot.
An Afghan transport union representative across the border Muhammad Nazar Utmanzai expressed their deep concern over the fresh rule i.e. to make visa and TAD compulsory for drivers to cross-in or out the border and said it would further affect the business activities between the two neighboring countries.
How is it possible for transporters to wait for months to get a visa, he questioned.
He added that hundreds of stranded trucks at the border, loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables were being decayed that would inflict financial loss on the traders therefore he asked for provisional relaxation in the visa policy.
Mujib Shinwari All Torkham Clearing Agents Association head said that TAD of majority vehicles had expired therefore entry and exit of the trucks had been restricted.
He further said that they met with transport and other concerned high officials to resolve the issue.
More than 90% of Pak-Afghan trade had suffered the visa and TAD policy, he added.
