Key Takeaways:
- Pakistan has halted 300 Afghan trucks carrying fruits and vegetables due to documentation issues.
- Afghan Embassy officials are urging Pakistan to allow the trucks to deliver their goods.
- Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce is working on resolving the issue by expediting the necessary documentation.
Halted Shipments at Border Crossings
The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad reported on Friday that Pakistan has stopped 300 trucks carrying fruits and vegetables from Afghanistan. The trucks were halted at the Torkham, Spin Boldak, and Kharlachi border crossings due to the absence of a temporary admission document (TAD).
Diplomatic Efforts to Resolve the Issue
Officials from the Afghan embassy met with Maria Kazi, Joint Secretary (Foreign Trade) at Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, to address the issue. They requested that Pakistan permit the trucks to unload their goods at their final destinations, as was previously practiced.
Temporary Admission Document Requirements
Maria Kazi acknowledged the issue and promised to speed up the issuance of the temporary admission documents to resolve the problem for Afghan truck drivers. The requirement for these documents has been a point of agreement between Afghan and Pakistani authorities in recent months to regulate cross-border transport.