PESHAWAR: Afghan government refused to keep open the Pak-Afghan sharing border, Torkham round the clock.
The Afghan officials on pretext of lack of facilities, declined to stay functional the border for 24 hours, Pak official told.
According to the fresh schedule, Afghan border security officials permit trailers from 09 am to 07 pm. to cross the border.
On Tuesday evening officials of the both neighboring countries conducted a meeting in which the Pak officials appraised the Afghanis of the slow pace of clearing process.
The Afghan officials informed them that due to lack staff, clearing procedure was slow, they further added that as counting process of votes was in progress after presidential election in Afghanistan, therefore they had been directed by the high-ups not to clear trucks, carrying retails commodities. They only cleared cement loaded trucks in their custom house in Torkham, Afghan official added.
The Pak custom official in Torkham said that as per 24/7 scheme,300 extra- vehicles loaded with merchandise goods were cleared daily in the Torkham custom center, although the Afghan restricted the entry of it after expiring of the time, specified by the Afghan government.
Previously 600 to 700 trailers daily had been crossed to Afghanistan while in present situation only 300 to 400 daily moved towards Afghanistan via Torkham border.
“Approximately 1200 pendent trucks that had been cleared and had been issued gate pass by the Pak officials are waiting at the border to cross to Afghanistan”, the official said.
Deputy Superintend Police, Swalzer Khan Afridi said that three parking points had been set up at Bagyari, Chengai and Mechni points to regulate the traffic and ensure smooth flow of traffic between Peshawar and Torkham border.
It is to be mentioned here that the Prime Minister Imran Khan has inaugurated the Integrated Transit Trade Management scheme to keep open the Pak-Afghan sharing border, Torkham for 24 hours on his visit to Torkham on 18th of September, 2019.
