Islamabad, Sep 6 (TIWN) The Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border, the main trade route between the two countries, that also caters as transit trade route for other nations, has seen a major surge in trade activities since the Taliban have taken control of the border operations on the Afghan side.

The trade activities along the border have increased as hundreds of trucks now, cross the border on a daily basis for trade purposes.  "Before the Taliban took control of the border, we used to have many issues. We had to go through a wait for hours and hours with loaded trucks of supplies for clearance to cross into Afghanistan. We had to pay Rs.16,000 to the Afghan security forces as bribe to cross the border. And then had to pay more bribes on every check post from Torkham till Mazar-i-Sharif," said Gul Agha, a truck driver whose daily routine of movement is to carry, tomatoes, fruits, vegetables and other supplies from Afghanistan into Pakistan.