RASC News Agency: Truck drivers at the Torkham crossing report that the continued closure of this passage has led to the rotting of their fruits and vegetables, causing significant economic damage to Afghanistan. These drivers state that Pakistan has closed the crossing due to the lack of a “Temporary Admission Document.”
Pakistan does not allow them entry, causing prolonged waiting periods that result in spoiled produce. Some drivers allege that a $400 bribe to the Pakistani police can open the road without delay. They accuse the Pakistani police of accepting bribes. For several days, long queues of freight trucks have been unable to pass due to the lack of a “Temporary Admission Document” from Pakistan.
According to some drivers, they have been waiting for up to five days for permission to cross. Rahmatullah, one of the drivers, says, “The governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan should soften their decision because it has created serious problems for us. Fruits and vegetables are perishing, and we have been waiting here for five days.” Hundreds of trucks carrying vegetables and fruits are stuck on both sides of the Torkham crossing, and drivers say that the intense heat is causing their produce to rot. They also report daily traffic accidents due to the road closure.
Abdul Rahman, a driver, said, “There isn’t a day without a traffic accident, and people are being killed. Trucks suffer huge losses, and this is a very serious problem for us.” Several other drivers expose the corruption within the Pakistani police. Abdul Wadood, a driver, said, “We face many difficulties and have no choice. We spend one month on one side of the crossing and another month on the other. There are no facilities for us. If you pay $400, they open the road for you, but if you pay $100, you might wait for three months. Bribery is rampant.”
In March this year, the Taliban and Pakistan agreed to stop trucks without a “Temporary Admission Document” from crossing Torkham. Based on this agreement, the deadline has passed, and on Thursday, Pakistan halted hundreds of trucks carrying Afghanistani fruits and vegetables at the Torkham, Spin Boldak, and Khar Lachi crossings.
