A five-year-old Afghan girl was standing with a veil over her head, holding the hand of her three-year-old younger brother. Both had bags. She could not understand Urdu. When asked in Pashto what was in the bags, she said in fear, sugar and flour in her brother’s bags.

During the previous Afghan government, illegal trafficking of Afghan children and sale and purchase of goods continued on the Pakistani border which both sides tried to control after the Taliban government came to power. Due to hunger and humanitarian crisis, the illegal buying and selling of goods across the border could not be stopped completely.

Little children on the Torkham border carrying sacks on their back and making cloth bags and tying them on their shoulders with ropes and running behind the truck. Taliban fighters are seen present at the entrance to Afghanistan, followed by a crowd of 25 to 30 children, carrying sacks on their shoulders.

The children, aged between three and 10 years watch every passing truck so that they could somehow get on board and enter Pakistan, where they could sell goods and buy sugar and flour in return. Meanwhile, border security officials chased after a truck carrying children. Four or five year old children hiding inside the tyres of these large trucks who were pulled out by security officials and sent back to the Afghan border.

A customs officer said that there are cigarettes, batteries, food items and some drinks which they give to the locals. In return, they get sugar flour, pulses, etc. A customs agent said: “Some of the bags contain illicit drugs and narcotics which these children try to sell cheaply here in Pakistan buy due to strict checking at the Torkham border, these children are caught.” He added that many children die because of accidents due to hiding or hanging in trucks. In view of the threats, the security forces deployed on Torkham border completely check the luggage to ensure that there is no dangerous stuff including drugs in the bags.

Taliban fighters standing across the border chasing the children again and again so that they would not cross the gate but hunger and need had taken away all the fear of those innocent children.

A local shopkeeper, said: “We are at a loss because we buy and sell goods at full price after paying taxes, but some locals also take advantage of these children by buying cheap goods without paying taxes.” He said that it was the responsibility of the international community and Human Rights organisations to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and to take some steps for the education of these children so that they do not resort to illegal means in their livelihood.

A customs officer told that the issue is raised at the monthly and weekly meetings of the Border management which are attended by security officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Both sides are taking steps to protect children and prevent illegal movement,” he said.
https://thefrontierpost.com/afghan-children-crossing-border-by-hiding-under-and-over-moving-trucks-to-sell-things-in-pakistan/