Taliban Blocks Over 2,000 Trucks from Returning to Pakistan After Transporting Afghan Migrants

KABUL (Kokcha.News) — Over 2,000 trucks that transported Afghan migrants and their belongings from Pakistan are now stranded in Afghanistan, as the Taliban has refused to allow them to return, according to Pakistani media. Latif Gul, the head of the Mini Mazda Truck Owners Association in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stated that hundreds of Pakistani drivers and co-drivers are facing difficult conditions due to the Taliban’s refusal to let the trucks return.

Gul did not provide an explanation for why the trucks have been barred from returning, and Taliban officials have yet to comment on the matter.

He added, “Our drivers have been away from their homes for over a month, and the truck owners have spent their income on daily expenses.”

This situation has led to an increase in the rental costs of vehicles traveling to Afghanistan. Gul warned that under these conditions, truck owners and drivers may no longer be willing to transport passengers to Afghanistan.

He also threatened that if the issue is not resolved soon, the association will be forced to block the Ring Road in Peshawar and halt all containers bound for Afghanistan.

Gul called on both the Pakistani government and the Taliban to ensure the immediate return of the stranded trucks and drivers.

Since October 2023, Pakistan has expelled over 1 million Afghan migrants, with the process continuing at a rapid pace. According to the United Nations, more than 443,000 migrants have returned to Afghanistan this year alone.

The recent campaign has targeted approximately 1.3 million migrants holding Proof of Registration (POR) cards issued by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Pakistan had set a deadline of September 1 for Afghan migrants to leave the country, warning that those who remained would face deportation.