KHYBER: Trade in goods and services, including transit, was halted at the Torkham border on Saturday due to restrictions on drivers heading to Pakistan who did not have the required visas and passports.
According to truckers, Pakistan has been requesting drivers to provide their passport and valid visa while entering the country since last Friday at 11:00 p.m. As a result, they were unable to cross the border into Pakistan and had to leave their laden cars at a parking lot in Torkham.
Yasir Arafat, assistant director of the Federal Intelligence Agency (FIA) in Torkham, corroborated the report and stated that although drivers were not permitted to enter Pakistan without a visa, the border was open for pedestrians to cross.
The truckers’ visa policy was criticized by the office bearers of the Transport Association of Torkham and other trade unions, who stated that it would undoubtedly negatively impact company operations at the border.
Long lines of loaded trucks were visible on the roadways on both sides of the border due to the stoppage of import and export.
It should be noted that following the incident at Army Public School on December 16, 2015, passports and visa policies were enforced at the Torkham border. Although drivers were excused from the requirement for a valid visa, they were still required to present their passports upon crossing the border.
