In a first, Afghan cargo trucks have entered Pakistan on the basis of the Temporary Admission Document (TAD).
In a move to accelerate bilateral trade, Pakistan on Sunday allowed Afghan transporters with TAD entry via the Kharlachi crossing.
The Pakistani embassy in Kabul had issued the document to Afghan drivers and cleaners, Dawn quoted Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Coordinator Ziaul Haq Sarhadi as saying.
Meanwhile, Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Hafiz Mohibullah told the newspaper they would also issue the same document to Pakistani transporters.
An official had arrived from Kabul at the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar to issue TAD to Pakistani transporters, the diplomat added.
While hailing the issuance of TAD as “good news for bilateral trade,” Sarhadi explained the TAD facility was not meant for transporters involved in the transit of goods.
At talks in Kabul in March, the neighbours had agreed on the introduction of TAD for trade vehicle drivers, who did not have passports and visas.
For a one-year trial period, drivers from both countries will be given TAD — a system whose implementation began in June 2024.
Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry in Kabul, told Dawn: “We see this as a very positive development that will ensure smooth bilateral trade.”
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