Challenges Faced by Truckers at Khyber Pass
KHYBER PASS, Pakistan – Truck drivers transporting goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan through the main border crossing are reporting issues like bribery, extensive delays, and harassment from police and transport union officials.
In conversations with Radio Mashaal, various Pakistani and Afghan truck drivers highlighted that crossing the Torkham border, which links northeastern Pakistan to eastern Afghanistan in the historic Khyber Pass, has become increasingly difficult, often leading to stress and lost business.
Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, one of many drivers who regularly traverse the Torkham route as part of the over 1,800-kilometer journey from Karachi to Kabul, expressed frustration over a recent government mandate requiring truckers to stop at a terminal in Bara, located about 50 kilometers from Torkham. Bara and Torkham are towns within the western Khyber district, known for its historical significance as a trade route.
Afridi has been stuck at the Akkakhel terminal in Bara for over two weeks, awaiting authorization to deliver his cargo of sugar, flour, and cement to Afghanistan. “Everyone is forced to wait endlessly,” he shared with Radio Mashaal. “There is nowhere to sleep or find relief from the scorching heat. We are just trying to survive in the shadows of our trucks.”
Afghan trucker Muhammad Gul has faced similar challenges, waiting three weeks with his container truck full of rice since arriving in Bara on June 18. Sweating from the heat, he expressed concerns about sanitation: “How can we protect ourselves from the coronavirus when we don’t have soap or water? It’s tough to maintain distance in this crowded space we occupy for days.” He further mentioned that truckers who pay bribes can bypass these delays, adding, “Our rights are being violated. Someone needs to rectify this situation.”
Local traders report that tedious border procedures have drastically decreased the number of trucks crossing daily from 800 to approximately 200, affecting custom revenues for Islamabad, according to Pakistani media reports. However, officials in Khyber district refute claims of harassment or extortion. Mazhar Afridi, a senior police official, stated that they are only permitting 200 trucks to pass through Torkham daily based on an agreement with Afghan authorities.
Torkham serves as the largest border crossing along the over 2,500-kilometer Durand Line, which established the border between the two neighboring countries in the 19th century. Following a closure for pandemic control in March, Pakistani officials announced the reopening of three major border crossings by late June. Simultaneously, in Chaman, another border crossing situated in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province, traders and activists are staging protests, demanding the full reopening of the border to facilitate smooth trade with Afghanistan, crucial for the local economy.
This article was complemented by the reporting of Radio Mashaal correspondent Farhad Shinwari in Khyber, Pakistan.
