LANDIKOTAL: Pakistani border officials held talks with their Afghan counterparts on the Torkham border at “zero point” but the talks proved unsuccessful, The News reported citing official sources on Tuesday.
The Pakistani team led by Lt Col Rana Adnan Shafiq of Frontier Corps included Major Murad, Major Bahlool and Torkham Tehsildar Daud Afridi. The Afghan side consisted of Qari Abdul Jabbar Hekmat, Qari Rafiullah, Qari Muhammad and Maulvi Takal.
The meeting discussed several issues related to the border and emphasized the resumption of vehicular and pedestrian movement across the border. The Afghan side has raised an issue with the Pakistani authorities regarding passports and visas for vehicle drivers and helpers. They asked them to ease the conditions in the best interest of entrepreneurs and transporters from both countries.
Afghan officials said the suspension of business activities at the Torkham border without any notice was against social and international norms, creating tension and causing inconvenience to traders, patients and other citizens.
They said such practices should not be repeated in the future as they not only affect relations with neighboring countries. Afghan officials said 90% of Afghan drivers and patients do not have passports. They said that they prefer to get passports and visas for patients who are suffering from serious diseases like cancer etc. They said that the Afghan authorities lacked the funds to issue the documents and the Pakistani authorities should allow the patients on humanitarian basis.
Also read: Terrorism-marred KP to be provided with 125 FC platoons for Feb 8 polls
Afghan officials have complained that border reopening and visa issues are becoming complicated. They said Afghanistan wanted cordial relations with Pakistan, adding that closing the border without prior notice would prompt Afghanistan to build a wall at the Torkham border crossing, closing the crossing forever.
Afghan authorities claimed that the Pakistani embassy and consulates were rejecting applications for visitor visas without giving reasons. Lt. Col. Adnan told Afghan officials that the implementation of passport and visa conditions has been pending since November 2 last year. He said Afghan authorities were not cooperating with their Pakistani counterparts on the matter.
He said that cancer patients were allowed to reach hospitals in Pakistan without any delay. The official said he would convey the Afghan side’s claim to relevant ministries, but said Kabul was not interested in providing data on Afghan drivers and their helpers to the Pakistani embassy in Afghanistan.
