Torkham crossing closure halts Af-Pak trade

JALALABAD/PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Enforcing visa and passport rules for drivers, Pakistan has shut the Torkham crossing for all sorts of cargo traffic, officials from both sides say.

An official in eastern Nangarhar province confirmed the closure of the gate, saying Pakistani guards wanted Afghan truckers to produce visas and passports for entry to that country.

As a result of the move enforced on Saturday, long queues of goods-laden vehicles got stuck on both sides of the Torkham crossing.

In a tit-for-tat response, Afghan border police personnel have also imposed similar curbs on Pakistani truck drivers. As a consequence, cargo traffic has come to a halt.

In the past four months, it is the fifth time that the crossing has been shut by the Pakistani government to the detriment of traders, transporters, travellers and patients.

Transporters from both countries were told they could not move on without valid visas. But drivers and assistants could not produce travel documents.

On the Pakistani side, hundreds of trailers and containers loaded with export goods, including cement, tractors, vegetables and oranges were stranded.

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