Traders cautiously optimistic about new liberal visa policy for Afghan nationals

PESHAWAR: Traders in both Afghanistan and Pakistan said they welcomed an announcement by the Pakistan embassy in Kabul that it was implementing “in letter and spirit” a new liberal visa policy for Afghan nationals, but cautioned that strict measures at border crossings between the neighbors were impeding the movement of travelers and hampering trade.
Traders have long urged officials in Kabul and Islamabad to ease border measures to expedite the movement of goods between the two countries, a process that has slowed down even further in recent months due to new rules introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Pakistan embassy in Kabul said the embassy and consulates in Afghanistan had “ensured implementation of Pakistan government’s new liberal visa policy for Afghan nationals enacted on 29 September 2020 in letter and spirit.”
“Yes, we see the visa process has now been expedited and a large number of Afghans are visiting Pakistan but the problem is that Pakistani officials have certain limitations in place on the Pak-Afghan Torkham border, which is a serious matter of concern,” Hajji Muhammad Usman, a member of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce, told Arab News on Tuesday, referring to a major border crossing between the two nations.
Under the new policy, the number of visa form collection windows has been increased from seven to 17 and long-term multiple entry visas have been allowed for all categories of visitors. The Pakistan embassy has also introduced an online or E-visa for Afghan nationals in major cities.
Separate windows have been designated for applicants seeking medical treatment and for students, traders and women. Except for business visas, there is no fee to apply for a visa.
“As a result of these concrete measures, this Embassy and our Consulates have issued 150,000 visas during the months of October and November alone,” the embassy statement said. “In addition to this, around 12,000 online E-visas have been issued by the Embassy during the past one and a half month.”
Zarqeeb Shinwari, President of Custom Clearing Agents on the Pakistani side of the Torkham border, said the liberal visa policy was a “good gesture” and would improve bilateral ties but both countries needed to make the movement of traders and travelers easier at border points.
Pakistan’s commerce minister said last month Islamabad planned to increase the volume of bilateral trade with Afghanistan, which stood at $2 billion in 2019, to $5 billion in the next five years.