ISLAMABAD: Amid escalating tensions with India, Pakistan on Thursday allowed 150 Afghan trucks , stranded due to a recent suspension of transit trade, to cross into India via the Afghan-Attari border.
The trucks, carrying goods destined for Indian markets, were granted passage after the Afghan embassy in Islamabad made a formal request on April 28, urging Pakistan to release the vehicles stranded at various transit points.
Pakistan’s foreign office said that only trucks that had entered Pakistan before April 25, 2025 were permitted to proceed, with a detailed list of the 150 vehicles forwarded to relevant authorities to ensure smooth cross-border movement.
The move comes at a time of heightened strain between Pakistan and India following a militant attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists.
India’s subsequent accusations of Pakistan’s involvement led to a series of retaliatory measures, including the suspension of all trade, including transit trade, on April 24, as decided at a National Security Committee meeting in Islamabad. The Wagah border, the only fully-fledged international crossing between the two nations, was closed to all cross-border transit, leaving Afghan trucks stranded.
The stranded trucks, laden with goods such as dry fruits, liquorice, and other Afghan exports, are critical to Afghanistan’s economy, particularly during its peak harvest season. Afghan traders and truck drivers, many of whom faced days of uncertainty, have welcomed the move. “We were stuck with nowhere to go,” said Ghani Gul, an Afghan driver stranded in Pakistan. “This permission means we can deliver our goods and support our families.”
While the immediate focus is on 150 trucks, the FO’s willingness to review additional cases suggests that further transit facilitation could be possible if Afghanistan provides the necessary details. For now, the successful passage of these trucks through the Wagah border serves as a small but significant reminder of the potential for cooperation, even in the most challenging of times.
The trucks, carrying goods destined for Indian markets, were granted passage after the Afghan embassy in Islamabad made a formal request on April 28, urging Pakistan to release the vehicles stranded at various transit points.
Pakistan’s foreign office said that only trucks that had entered Pakistan before April 25, 2025 were permitted to proceed, with a detailed list of the 150 vehicles forwarded to relevant authorities to ensure smooth cross-border movement.
The move comes at a time of heightened strain between Pakistan and India following a militant attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists.
India’s subsequent accusations of Pakistan’s involvement led to a series of retaliatory measures, including the suspension of all trade, including transit trade, on April 24, as decided at a National Security Committee meeting in Islamabad. The Wagah border, the only fully-fledged international crossing between the two nations, was closed to all cross-border transit, leaving Afghan trucks stranded.
The stranded trucks, laden with goods such as dry fruits, liquorice, and other Afghan exports, are critical to Afghanistan’s economy, particularly during its peak harvest season. Afghan traders and truck drivers, many of whom faced days of uncertainty, have welcomed the move. “We were stuck with nowhere to go,” said Ghani Gul, an Afghan driver stranded in Pakistan. “This permission means we can deliver our goods and support our families.”
While the immediate focus is on 150 trucks, the FO’s willingness to review additional cases suggests that further transit facilitation could be possible if Afghanistan provides the necessary details. For now, the successful passage of these trucks through the Wagah border serves as a small but significant reminder of the potential for cooperation, even in the most challenging of times.
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