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KHYBER AGENCY - After expiry of the deadline, all Pakistani citizens would be required to produce their passports while entering Afghanistan or moving back into Pakistan from January 1st, 2017.

A statement issued here on Saturday, however, stated that local tribesmen would be exempted from the new border management restrictions and would be allowed to move in or out of Afghanistan after presenting their computerised national identity cards (CNICs) only.

Earlier, Pakistani security forces had announced that no Pakistani citizens would be allowed moving into Afghanistan or entering Pakistan through Torkham border without producing passport after December 31st.

The statement said that the move was aimed at legalising movement on Torkham border.

The statement further said that several Afghan citizens possessed fabricated Pakistani identity cards with photos changed through sophisticated photo-change technology with original data, which could not be identified due to lack of relevant verification system at the Torkham border.

Therefore, the restriction of presenting a passport was necessary to regularise movement across the Pak-Afghan border, it said.

The statement clarified that no visa was required for Pakistani citizens to move back into the country from Afghanistan through Torkham border, but they could cross into Pakistan by showing their passports only, while the tribesmen would be required to present their CNICs while moving back home.