Intl. transport coordination center opens in Balkh

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): A coordination center for international transport companies has been inaugurated at the Hairatan border crossing in northern Balkh province to facilitate exports, local officials said.

Najmuddin Farooqi, head of the Inter-Provincial Terminal at Balkh’s Land Transport Department, said the center involves around 16 international transport companies.

It enables drivers and transport firms to obtain the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) form, allowing them to export goods to other countries more efficiently.

He explained that the CMR is an internationally recognized document that permits large vehicles to transport goods across borders without complications. Moving forward, only drivers holding this form will be allowed to transport export items abroad.

Company representatives praised the initiative, calling it a major step toward streamlining the export process.

Ghulam Farooq Omar, head of a private transport firm, said this is Afghanistan’s first such initiative, and it will make cross-border transportation more efficient and formalized.

“With this document, goods can be delivered safely and without delay,” he said.

Del Mohammad Oghlu, another company head, said the move supports standardization in Afghanistan’s transport sector and enhances service delivery.

“Previously, exports were carried out irregularly, lacking proper documentation. The CMR form, a four-page document, now records complete shipment details—including destination, cargo, vehicle, driver, sender, and recipient.”

sa