KABUL (SW) – As the Torkham border crossing continues to be closed to Afghan commercial vehicles, a number of merchants and truck drivers have complained about this situation, saying that millions of afghanis have been lost in the past 10 days.
Some of these merchants and truck drivers told Salam Watandar that most of their goods got spoiled in this period or they had to auction it at throw away price.
Rafiullah, a fresh fruit and vegetable merchant, said: “The trucks are having a lot of trouble on the Gholam Khan crossing. The fare is high and double. The trucks reach its destination in two days and nights, and I have lost four million afghanis. In the same way, day by day, the businessmen are suffering.”
Mohammad Amin, a truck driver, added: “We have been waiting for 14 days. Up to 8 and 10 million afghanis have been lost as it is perishable property. This is a loss for both the drivers and the merchants.”
Officials of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce (PAJCC) told Salam Watandar that now 2,000 Afghan trucks are stuck on both sides of the Torkham crossing due to the closures.
Naqibullah Safi, chief executive of the PAJCC, said that since the beginning of the 2024 year, Pakistan has closed the Torkham crossing to Afghan commercial vehicles more than six times. He added that talks are ongoing with the Pakistani side to reopen this crossing.
Some Afghan businessmen at the Spin buldak border crossing are also complaining about the closure of this crossing to the traffic of commercial vehicles.
Ajabullah, an Afghan businessman, said that the Pakistani government is harming them with any excuse by closing this route as well. “When they block the way, or excuse visas and sometimes passports, it affects both countries negatively. This is a political issue, they should not harass the businessmen.”
It is seen that Pakistan always closes the common trade crossings or raises taxes and customs during the harvest season of Afghanistan’s fresh agricultural products. Officials of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce have repeatedly emphasized that they are trying to start exporting to other countries through Central Asia.
