Several drivers on the Nimruz-Zahedan route have raised concerns over the recent suspension of their work. They report that transportation along this route has been halted for the past week due to actions by Iranian authorities, without a clear explanation. The Taliban, meanwhile, claim they are unaware of the issue.
More than 100 drivers on this route say that, despite low earnings and constant challenges, they continued working due to limited job options. Now, with this livelihood cut off, they face dire economic hardship.
Gul Ahmad (pseudonym), one of the drivers on the route, explained that he purchased his vehicle at a significant cost and registered it legally to make a living. He fears that if the restrictions become permanent and aren’t lifted, he’ll face severe financial difficulties. “It’s been a week since our work stopped. Cargo vehicles and passenger traffic are still allowed, but taxis are not, as per the Sistan and Baluchestan provincial administration in Iran,” he said. “We need a solution to this. My car and its registration cost at least 200,000 to 220,000 Afghanis, which I borrowed. If this goes on, our situation will get much worse.”
Another driver stated that, despite the high expenses tied to this job, he has no choice but to continue to avoid poverty and unemployment. He explained that he paid for “visas, tolls, and insurance,” but his work was still suspended.
Jamshid (pseudonym), another driver on the route, said he paid a substantial fee for his Iranian visa and has been paying tolls and insurance to the Iranian government for the past three months. “Despite low earnings, we have no choice but to keep working because there are no other jobs,” he said, adding that if their work doesn’t resume, their economic conditions will worsen. Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, he shared, “I paid around 30,600 afghanis for a six-month Iranian visa, plus almost 20,000 afghanis in toll fees, but just a week after these payments, we were forced to stop work.” Although their driving is halted, he explained, the daily toll and insurance fees continue to add up.
Another driver on the Nimruz-Zahedan route, who requested anonymity, explained, “We’re doing this job out of necessity. On each trip, we can only take four passengers, which doesn’t cover our expenses.” He added, “From here to Zahedan, we charge 700 afghanis, but we pay 240 afghanis to the Taliban for transportation fees, 60 afghanis to Iran, 500 afghanis to a local company in Nimruz, and 400 afghanis to an Iranian company. As foreigners, we’re also required to buy 60 liters of fuel for 2,300 Afghanis to avoid penalties.”
Drivers on the Nimruz-Zahedan route express frustration that, while the Taliban collect transportation and passport fees from them and claim to represent “the government of Afghanistan,” they take no responsibility for the challenges faced by these drivers. The drivers insist that the Taliban should engage with Iranian officials to find solutions for the hardships affecting over 100 drivers along this route.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
توقف فعالیت موترهای لینی نیمروز-زاهدان ایران؛ رانندهگان: طالبان مسوولیتپذیر نیستند | روزنامه ۸صبح
