Pakistan, Afghanistan agree on mandatory visa for truck drivers

ISLAMABAD – In a significant policy shift, the government of Pakistan has implemented a visa requirement for Afghan truck drivers at the Torkham border.

Previously, entry was permissible with only a passport, but following the government’s recent announcement, a valid passport and visa have become mandatory for truck drivers entering Pakistan.

This decision, as per government officials, is part of a comprehensive effort to regulate two-way traffic at the Torkham border legally.

Recent discussions between officials from both countries at the border emphasized the necessity of passports and visas for transit, underscoring the commitment to lawful and secure cross-border movement.

The move aims to address various concerns, including stabilizing trade by enforcing legal documentation, enhancing security measures, and curbing smuggling activities.

Moreover, traders and truck drivers have greeted the initiative positively following the joint announcement of the implementation of legal documents by both countries.

Commenting on the policy decision, Customs Inspector Alam Zeb highlighted the global use of the Visa Implementation Stamp in accordance with the law, emphasizing that both businessmen and the general populace would reap equal benefits from the introduction of the visa stamp.

Moreover, in reference to the government’s new visa policy, FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) in-charge Inamul Haque pointed out that maintaining a record of individuals entering and exiting through the border would be simplified by this step, Samaa reported.

In recent months, border crossings between the two nations experienced a temporary shutdown at a time when Islamabad launched extensive operation last year against undocumented refugees residing in Pakistan and the subsequent tightening of document requirements for Afghans entering the country.

Millions of Afghans live in the country and some of them have no documents but the caretaker regime had set a deadline of November 1st for the illegal refugees to either leave themselves or faced eportation.