ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has closed all commercial truck crossings with Afghanistan, stranding hundreds of trucks laden with perishable goods on both sides of the border.
The closure, effective Thursday, has been attributed to the lack of “temporary entry permits” required for transit, according to some drivers. However, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment reported that even trucks possessing the necessary permits have been denied passage by Pakistani authorities.
The impasse follows a March agreement between the Taliban and Pakistan, which mandated that trucks without temporary entry permits be stopped at border crossings. With the deadline for policy implementation now past, Islamabad has enforced the restrictions, halting a significant number of commercial vehicles at key crossings such as Torkham, Spin Boldak, and Kharlachi.
“The delay in obtaining travel permits is causing us significant hardship. It has been a month, and the paperwork is still incomplete. Both sides need to expedite the distribution of these documents,” said Abdul Rahman, a driver affected by the closure.
The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment reported that more than 1,400 export trucks from Afghanistan are stranded at the Torkham crossing alone. The chamber criticized both the Pakistani Embassy in Afghanistan and the Taliban-run consulates in Peshawar and Quetta for not effectively issuing the required permits.
Despite some drivers successfully obtaining the permits, they still faced barriers to entry into Pakistan, according to a source from the chamber. This ongoing blockade is causing anxiety among drivers, who fear their cargo of fruits and vegetables will spoil, resulting in substantial financial losses.
Economic experts suggest that Pakistan may be using the permit issue as a pretext to block Afghan exports, particularly during the peak season for vegetables and fruits. “Pakistan is exploiting the weaknesses of Afghan governments. The Taliban lack the will to impose reciprocal measures, such as increasing customs tariffs on Pakistani goods,” said Sayed Haroon Amini, an economist.
Earlier, Pakistan had raised customs tariffs on 12 types of Afghan export goods, while the Taliban had only increased tariffs on Pakistani imports by up to 25 percent. The ongoing situation exacerbates tensions and disrupts trade between the two neighboring countries, with no immediate resolution in sight.
