LANDI KOTAL: Pakistani transporters on Torkhamborder have demanded of the Pakistani and Afghan authorities to allow selected local drivers to bring back empty vehicles from across the border.

Shakir Afridi, a representative of local transporters, told Dawn that hundreds of empty vehicles were stranded on the Afghan side of the border.

He said after resumption of trade with Afghanistan via Torkham in early May, the local transporters were assured by both Pakistaniand Afghan authorities that their empty vehicles would be given them in less than 24 hours of their crossing the zero point and handing it over to Afghan drivers for custom clearance and unloading of the vehicle.

Pakistan had resumed limited trade with Afghanistan via Torkhamand Chaman in early May. The borders were closed in mid March to prevent the transmission of novel coronavirus.

Pakistan agreed on the request of Afghan government to hand over its loaded trucks at the border zero point to Afghan drivers for its reloading to the Afghan vehicles and bringing the empty vehicles back to Pakistan side in less than 24 hours.

Mr Afridi said the promise of the handing over of empty vehicles to owners stayed unfulfilled and vehicles delivery was delayed by nearly two weeks badly affecting the business of local transporters.

He said the matter had already been taken up with Pakistani authorities.

“Though Pakistani authorities had assured us of full support for the resolution of issues, hundreds of drivers have been awaiting handover of vehicles for two weeks,” he said.

Local driver Inayatullah told Dawn that the unnecessary delay in return of their vehicles was causing them financial losses and mental stress.

He said some vehicles were also damaged due to wrong handlingby Afghan drivers on their side of the border.

He accused Afghan drivers of demanding bribes for out-of-turn return of stranded vehicles. “Most local drivers are left with no option but to bribe Afghans to get back vehicles,” he said.

Mr Afridi said the solution lied in allowing local transporters to across the border for bringing back vehicles while observing standard operating procedures.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2020