Kabul [Afghanistan], August 5 : Several medical patients and passengers at the Torkham crossing complained of harassment by the Pakistani police, Tolo News reported on Friday.
The Afghans also said that the Pakistani police demanded money from them under a variety of pretexts.
They said that despite having the legal documents, there was no convenience for them, and that all passengers, including women and children, are facing problems.
The travelers further said that Pakistan has not properly addressed this issue, and patients and passengers have been dealing with it for years.
"They mistreat us. They do not let us pass. They force us to pay them,” Tolo News quoted a patient named Shir Ali, who went to Pakistan for his illness to be treated.
"They say the scanner is broken, although it is functional. They bother passengers for cash. You may pass with ease if you give a thousand,” said Zabihullah, another passenger.
Medical patients and passengers asked the Taliban authorities to solve this problem, Tolo News reported.
"I ask both sides to be kind to the passengers and provide facilities for them. Facilitate visa and transportation convenience. Why do they stop us when we have a passport?" said Rustam Khan, a passenger.
The Torkham Commission officials said they have spoken with Pakistani authorities about this issue, but the commitments made in this respect have not been fulfilled.
"We shared the issues with high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, and in the same way we shared with the Consul General of Pakistan here,” Tolo News quoted Hafiz Ismatullah, the commissioner at Torkham.
According to official figures, 2,400 people from Afghanistan have visited Pakistan for medical treatment in the past three months, at an average of 120 patients each day, Tolo News reported.
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