Tribal representatives urge faster Afghan repatriation through Torkham before Eidul Azha

KHYBER: Representatives of different tribes in Landi Kotal on Thursday asked the government to speed up the repatriation of Afghan families through the Torkham border ahead of Eidul Azha.

During a meeting in Landi Kotal, security officials were briefed on the difficulties being faced by Afghan families returning to their country because of what participants described as a slow registration and verification process.

According to participants in the meeting, officials were told that prolonged delays in clearing loaded vehicles carrying Afghan families had caused traffic congestion at the Bhagyiarree checkpost in Jamrud. They said the bottleneck was affecting not only the returning Afghans but also local residents, who were being forced to wait for long periods as hundreds of loaded vehicles remained parked along the roadside.

Participants also conveyed to security officials that Afghan border authorities had requested a quicker return process for Afghan families. They said Afghan authorities had repeatedly expressed readiness to receive as many of their nationals as Pakistan cleared for return.

Concerns over customs clearance and stranded vehicles

The meeting also raised the issue of customs procedures for the personal belongings of returning Afghans. Participants sought relaxation in the clearance process, saying customs authorities had recently seized large quantities of goods after declaring them prohibited under the country’s export laws.

Security officials were also asked to pass on another concern to higher authorities regarding hundreds of Pakistani vehicles that have remained stranded on the Afghan side of Torkham since the border closure in early October last year.

According to participants, Afghan border officials had already communicated their willingness to let those vehicles cross if Pakistan allowed them to re-enter the country. They said transporters whose vehicles had remained stuck in Afghanistan for months had suffered major financial losses and continued mental and physical stress.

Officials promise consideration of demands

Participants said security officials assured them that all legitimate demands linked to the return of Afghan families would receive sympathetic consideration, particularly those described as being based on humanitarian grounds.

At the meeting, the commandant of Khyber Rifles, on behalf of the inspector general of Frontier Corps, distributed appreciation certificates to individuals who had voluntarily assisted security forces during the recent clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces.

The meeting took place amid calls from local representatives for administrative facilitation at the border crossing, with participants focusing on the pace of repatriation, customs handling of personal belongings and the return of stranded Pakistani vehicles.