The Government of Pakistan has implemented a new policy requiring trucks transporting commercial goods from Afghanistan to obtain a “Temporary Entry Permit.”

According to a report by the Pakistani newspaper Express Tribune, Afghan commercial trucks will now be allowed entry into Pakistan only through specified routes as outlined in bilateral agreements. These trucks must also be registered with the Trade and Transit Departments in Peshawar and Quetta to receive the necessary permit.

The reviewed document from the Express Tribune specifies that the permits will include both issuance and expiration dates and will need to be renewed through the appropriate transportation department.

Additionally, the regulation mandates that Afghan commercial trucks provide a verified copy of the vehicle owner’s computerized national identity card, the vehicle’s registration book, a vehicle fitness certificate, and a declaration of responsibility for the safe transportation of imported and exported goods under transit trade to obtain the permit.

This policy comes on the heels of several stringent restrictions at Pakistan’s border crossings, which have previously led to significant economic challenges for Afghan traders