Extortions drop to zero at Torkham, say truck drivers

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Truck drivers say illegal extortions in Torkham border have fallen to zero but complain their trucks are not allowed to move on time.

They say that they would pay thousands of Afghanis in illegal extortions in the port, but now they pay only 100 Afghanis legally.

The drivers say that Pakistan hardly allows their trucks to enter that country, asking the government to resolve the problem.

Abdul Bari, who was transferring coal, said that illegal extortion in Torkham border had reached zero after the collapse of Ashraf Ghani administration.

“We legally pay only 100 Afghanis, but Pakistani officials allow very limited number of trucks to go or come,” he said.

He said that the problem should be resolved and trucks be allowed to have normal movement on the border.

Hajam Khan, another truck driver who was transferring food items from Pakistan to Afghanistan, said that he waited for a week until his turn arrived and moved his truck to Afghanistan.

Commissary officials in Torkham port say that they are in talks with Pakistani officials to resolve commercial related issues and people’s movement on the border.

SayedGhaziullahHashemi, Torkham commissar, told Pajhwok that extortions from truck drivers and corruption had been eliminated in the border.

“But the problems is with the Pakistani side who allows a very limited number of trucks to move in or out,” he said.

He said that the issue had been shared with the foreign ministry which was trying to resolve it.

Torkham is one the country’s important port in the eastern region of the country but has turned hard for the commute of people and even patients since the last few months.

This report has been produced by Pajhwok and financially supported by UNDP and Denmark.

Mds/ma

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