JALALABAD CITY (SW) – The government of Pakistan once again banned the entry of Afghan patients without visas from the Torkham border crossing since the past three days.
Many Afghan citizens who want to transfer their patients to Pakistan say that they have been waiting for two days near the Torkham border crossing to enter this country, but they are not permitted.
They express the dire condition of some patients, saying about the urgency of their situation; if they wait too long to seek medical treatment in Pakistan, there is a possibility that they may lose their lives.
Ahmad Wali, one of the Afghan citizens waiting to cross the Torkham border with his patient, urges the de-facto government to initiate dialogue with the Pakistani authorities to resolve this issue and facilitate their passage for medical treatment.
“I hope the government hear our voices and solve this issue,” he said.
Highlighting the critical condition of patients, Samsur, who is also waiting to transfer his patient to Pakistan, says that they are not allowed to cross the border.
“Hundreds of patients are stuck here. They all have the visa problem. We hope that the Torkham border crossing reopens urgently.”
Meanwhile, the local officials in Nangarhar province say that they are trying to discuss with the Pakistani side to end this issue.
Sediqullah Quraishi, the Head of Information at the Nangarhar Directorate of Information and Culture, says that previously, emergency patients could cross into Pakistan via the Torkham border without needing a passport or visa. However, as of last Sunday, this crossing has been closed to all patients.
Earlier, Pakistan stated that traders and patients could cross the border without a visa until the end of March.
