Afghan goods vehicles cross Torkham after registration

KHYBER: Pakistani authorities on Monday allowed three goods vehicles with Afghan drivers and cleaners to enter the country through the Torkham border crossing after registration under the Temporary Admission Document policy for cross-border movement.

Officials at Torkham told Dawn that the registration of Afghan transporters without valid visas began under the TAD policy in May after Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to relax visa restrictions for them.

They said Afghan transporters had long been complaining about the denial of entry to Pakistan via Torkham without legal travel documents as well as difficulties in obtaining national passports due to the reasons not explained by authorities in Kabul.

The officials said drivers and cleaners of at least three Afghan vehicles loaded with export items were issued TAD on Mondayfor entry to Pakistan after thorough investigation of the registration applications they had submitted early May.

They said that a number of these applications were also rejected due to some deficiencies in their registration documents while the Afghan drivers were conveyed the message to fulfil the formality by the earliest.

The officials said that owing to some “deficiencies” in the registration process and provision of the required documents by Afghan transporters, the submission of registration process was extended until June 15 to the facilitate the maximum number of Afghan drivers and cleaners in benefitting from that opportunity.

They said under the TAD rules, Afghan transporters were required to produce their national identity cards, driving licences, personal mobile numbers and photographs for registration.

The officials said that the process to register at least 18 Afghan transporters had been completed at Torkham,while 16 more drivers and cleaners had undergone registration at the Ghulam Khan border since May 1.

They said that the Afghan transporters involved in the import and export business between the two countries were declared eligible for TAD but the transporters linked to the Afghan Transit Trade would be included in the new policy in May next year.

The officials said the Afghan transporters with TAD would be allowed to take their vehicles to any destination in Pakistan, which wasn’t allowed prior to the introduction of TAD.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2024