PESHAWAR: Truck owners on Friday expressed concern over more than 2,000 trucks stranded in Afghanistan for the past month after transporting Afghan nationals returning to their homeland.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mini Mazda Truck Owners Association President Latif Gul said Afghan authorities have not allowed the trucks to return, leaving hundreds of Pakistani drivers and conductors stuck across the border in difficult conditions.

“Our drivers have been away from their homes for a month, while truck owners have already exhausted their earnings to meet daily expenses,” he added.

Latif Gul said that delays at the border have increased operational costs, resulting in higher fares for vehicles travelling to Afghanistan. He warned that under such conditions, truck owners and drivers would no longer be willing to transport passengers to Afghanistan.

He further cautioned that if the issue is not resolved immediately, the association would be compelled to block Ring Road in Peshawar and halt the movement of all containers bound for Afghanistan.

He urged both the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure the immediate repatriation of stranded vehicles and drivers.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2025