Afghanistan Times
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Kabul: An official announced on Thursday that the Torkham crossing, which had been closed for four days, has reopened exclusively for cancer patients. Afghan and Pakistani authorities have agreed to allow patients to cross the border without passports or visas.
According to Afghan National Television, cancer patients possessing a “six-month cancer card” can now travel to Pakistan without the need for a visa. This information was disseminated by state-controlled media under Taliban rule, with the Information and Culture Directorate of Nangarhar province encouraging these patients to promptly visit Torkham.
Sadiqullah Quriashi, the media officer of the Information and Culture Directorate in Nangarhar, recently informed media outlets that Pakistani authorities have assured this group that they will permit their passage across border crossings without requiring a visa.
The closure of the Torkham border crossing to patients over the past three days prompted a significant number of patients and their families to appeal to the Pakistani government and Afghan officials to address this issue.
Due to the inadequate medical facilities for cancer patients in Afghanistan, many have historically sought treatment in neighboring countries such as Pakistan and India.
The closure of border crossings further exacerbates the suffering of vulnerable individuals, particularly cancer patients who urgently require medical treatment abroad.
