Pakistani authorities have announced that, effective 30 May, Afghan truck drivers will no longer be permitted to enter Pakistan without a valid visa stamped in their passport. The decision will end a longstanding policy of visa-free entry for cross-border transport workers.
Previously, Afghan drivers were allowed to enter using a Temporary Admission Document (TAD), a one-year entry permit issued to facilitate trade and accommodate those lacking formal travel documentation, particularly individuals with tribal affiliations spanning both sides of the border.
New notices posted at the Torkham border crossing state that, from the end of May, all Afghan nationals must present both a valid passport and visa to enter and reside in Pakistan. The shift marks the end of entry arrangements that had enabled many Afghan drivers to work without standard travel documents.
The change comes despite earlier efforts to boost bilateral trade by easing border procedures for Afghan drivers. According to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, citing border officials, the temporary entry permits will no longer be issued or renewed.
In response to the policy shift, a delegation of local traders and drivers met with the Taliban’s consul in Peshawar, requesting that discussions be held with Pakistani authorities to reconsider or extend the previous entry system.
