Sher Khan port closed for commercial traffic for several days

KUNDUZ (Pajhwok): Sher Khan Bandar officials on Thursday said the port has been closed for commercial traffic since several days due to the Tajikistan government's failure to provide facilities for Afghan traders.

The officials cited non-issuance of visas, trade problems and insults to Afghan traders in the border by Tajik officials as main reasons for the port's closure, and called on Tajikistan to address the challenges facing Afghan traders.

The Chamber of Commerce and Investment and a number of Kunduz traders said that they have been affected by the closure of the port and called for the normalization of trade between the two countries.

Musa Kalim Mujahidzadah, Kunduz Customs Department director, confirmed the closure of the port, saying that lack of facilities for Afghan traders by Tajikistani officials was the reason.

"The Afghan driver gets off from his truck when arrives in Tajikistan, and a Tajik man takes the truck to Tajikistan and charges 2,000 afghanis, while the process is not the same for Tajik drivers in Afghanistan. The rights we have based on international principles should be given to us by Tajikistan, we have endured this situation for nine months, our traders will not be allowed to enter Tajikistan through this route, they have to travel first to Dubai and then to the neighboring country,” he said.

The Chamber of Commerce and a number of Kunduz traders also consider the closure of Sher Khan Bandar commercial port to be a serious challenge to traders and asked for needed facilities for Afghans on the regard.

Mohammad Salim Safi, a trader from Kunduz who is involved in commerce through the Sher Khan Bandar port for many years, says, "If the situation continues in Sher Khan Bandar, it would be harmful, the port is shut since a week, warehouses are full, we want the government to solve this problem with the Tajik government."

On the other hand, Tajik drivers said they were not arrested or tortured by Afghan forces and called for normalization of trade in the port.

Ismail, a Tajik driver, said, "No one has arrested us, they respect us, they share with us food, there is no problem, the only problem is the closure of route, we want the route to be reopened.”

The Sher Khan Bandar Port is closed after some media outlets reported military and political tensions between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, a claim denied by the caretaker government.

mds/ma