Torkham Crossing Remains Closed for 8th Day

The Torkham crossing remains closed for traffic for the 8th consecutive day and is causing trucks full of goods to be stranded on both sides.

The traders interviewed by media said the fruits and vegetables in the trucks are spoiling.

“The fruits have returned to the domestic markets. Most of them were sold in the markets in Jalalabad. 7 kg of tomatoes were sold with prices of 15 to 20 Afs,” said Mohammad Farooq Ahmadi, a trader.

“I myself only had three trucks, when I counted …My goods were spoiled,” said Mohammad Yamin Watanyar.

Torkham crossing has been repeatedly closed by Pakistan mostly during the season of fruits and vegetables in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said that efforts are underway to find an alternative path in a bid to reduce reliance on trade on Torkham crossing.

“If Chabahar port is ready for trade and transit of Afghanistan, and the problems exist there now are solved, I think we will get rid of these problems permanently,” said Kham Mohammad Sarfaraz Baz, head of the Secretariat of ACCI.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) stressed that the efforts are underway to reopen the Torkham crossing.

“The Islamic Emirate in general and particularly the Minister of Industry and Commerce is following the issue seriously and is in talks with Pakistani officials to solve the issue soon,” said Akhundzada Abdul Salam Javad, a spokesman for the MoIC.