Cross-border trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan resumed on Wednesday, according to officials in both countries, after Islamabad halted a new visa restriction.
Commercial traffic came to a halt Tuesday when Pakistan began demanding commercial vehicle crews to have passports and visas in order to enter, and Afghanistan replied by refusing to allow any trucks to cross.
“Yesterday, when Pakistan enforced its new rules, the Afghan side responded by suspending trade in protest,” a Pakistan customs official told AFP.
“Last night, officials from the Ministry of Commerce held a meeting with Afghan officials, reaching an agreement to grant another two-week extension for Afghan drivers.”
Pakistan has twice delayed the implementation of the new rule, according to an official statement. The media office of the governor of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan confirmed the resumption of cross-border trade after talks between Afghan and Pakistani officials. They expressed assurance that the issue would be permanently resolved.
Tensions between Kabul and Islamabad have escalated since October when Pakistan announced plans to deport hundreds of thousands of Afghan migrants deemed to be in the country illegally. Approximately 340,000 Afghans have been deported or returned voluntarily. Pakistan now requires Afghans to have passports and visas for entry, ending the longstanding practice of allowing passage with only national identity cards.
Landlocked Afghanistan heavily relies on Pakistan for imports, both domestically produced goods and foreign items via Karachi port. Pakistan, facing a severe economic crisis, contends that it incurs significant losses annually by allowing duty-free entry for Afghan-bound goods. This move aims to curb smuggling and regulate trade.
The mass deportation of illegal migrants, according to Islamabad, is essential to safeguard its welfare and security, citing a surge in attacks attributed to militants operating from Afghanistan. In contrast, Afghanistan’s Taliban government asserts that it does not permit foreign militants on its soil, framing Pakistan’s security concerns as a domestic matter.
