KHYBER: Rekindling hopes for the safe return of hundreds of stranded transporters from Afghanistan, the commissioner of Peshawar on Tuesday directed authorities to make the border management system more organised and effective while determining new timings for cross-border movement at Torkham crossing.

During a meeting at the office of Peshawar commissioner Riaz Mehsud, more emphasis was laid on effective coordination and mutual cooperation between security agencies posted at Torkham, Afghan border authorities and transport associations in order to resolve problems confronted by the transporters.

Sources among the participants of the meeting said that the meeting which was chaired by the commissioner, discussed in detail the issue of stranded transporters, provision of added facilities to transporters and make the cross-border transport system more effective and safe.

The meeting was also attended by Afghan councilor general in Peshawar Hafiz Muhibullah, Lt Col Mohammad Arif of the Frontier Corps and deputy commissioner Khyber Rao Bilal Shahid.

Participants expressed concern over the continuous delay in the return of hundreds of stranded transporters and their vehicles and called for the early resolution of the issue.

The meeting decided to organise cross-border movement of transporters by fixing separate timings for vehicles returning from Afghanistan and those taking back Afghan families to Afghanistan, sources said.

They said that vehicles coming from Afghanistan would be allowed to cross the border from 8am to 2pm, while vehicles going back would be allowed between 2pm and 8pm on a daily basis.

The family members and transporters in Khyber have established a protest camp at the Takiya Markaz in Sultankhel area of Landi Kotal for the last two weeks in support of their demand for early return of the stranded transporters.

The transporters and their vehicles got stranded at the Afghan side of the Torkham border on October 12 last year when all Pak-Afghan border crossings were closed due to intense armed clashes between the border forces of both countries.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026