Pakistan launched the implementation of the Temporary Admission Document (TAD) system on Sunday, a strategic move designed to streamline cross-border trade flows with Afghanistan. This system allows Afghan transporters to enter Pakistan through designated border points without the typical visa requirements, starting with the Kharlachi crossing in the Kurram tribal district.
Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a senior member of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), confirmed the inaugural entry of Afghan cargo trucks under this new regime. The Pakistani embassy in Kabul now issues TADs to Afghan drivers and cleaners, reciprocated by the Afghan consulate in Peshawar for Pakistani transporters.
“This is excellent news for bilateral trade,” Sarhadi commented, though he mentioned that the current scope of the TAD system does not extend to transporters engaged in goods transit, suggesting an area ripe for subsequent enhancement.
The groundwork for this initiative was laid during comprehensive trade discussions held in Kabul this March, attended by high-ranking officials including former Commerce Secretary Mohammad Khurrum Agha and Afghan Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi. These discussions addressed the longstanding complexities of transporter documentation, which previously led to the temporary closure of the Torkham border following new visa mandates by Pakistan.
The resolution came swiftly as the border reopened ten days after Pakistan withdrew its visa requirement. The operationalization of the TAD system allows cargo vehicles from both nations unrestricted access to cities across Afghanistan and Pakistan, potentially deepening economic linkages.
Afghan and Pakistani drivers will utilize TAD for a year-long trial period starting June 2024, as part of an ongoing evaluation of this streamlined approach. Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the Afghan Commerce Ministry, lauded the implementation as a critical advancement reflective of the commitments made during the Kabul trade talks.
With approximately 6,000 Afghan and 9,000 Pakistani vehicles registered for trade poised to benefit from this policy, the potential for enhanced trade efficiency is significant.
Concurrently, the revised Afghan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) remains stalled. Despite intentions set during the Kabul meetings to finalize a new agreement within two months, negotiations have faltered since the agreement lapsed prior to the Taliban’s ascendancy in Kabul in August 2021. The ongoing impasse underscores a critical challenge in the path towards fully actualized economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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