Crossing Broghil pass

[aba]

The webpage of caravanistan mentions that the borders of Afganistan are open for the Mujahideen Victory Day. What does this mean? Can a foreigner pass Broghil pass on 28. April?

[Christian77]

A foreigner can't go through Broghil Pass at any time. The last guy to try that was arrested for illegal entry.

[aba]

any details about his story? did he have visa?

[Christian77]

He had a visa for Pakistan, and he thought he had secured permission to cross the border and to be in a special district. He was arrested and detained, as there is no such thing according to the military forces that patrol the border and do the internal checkpoints in special districts. More recently a Hungarian guy tried to cross. he actually got pretty far because he did a winter crossing (low level of patrols, I guess). But of course he was caught when someone checked his passport and didn't see an entry stamp. He did one month in prison.

[Michmich]

Dear all,

I'm desperately looking for information on how to arrange paperwork to cross the Broghil pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan legally. I've read on several websites it was possible and has been done several times, however I can't find much information on this.

Does anyone have more info and contact details for enquiries?

Thanks a million times!

[aba]

This is very interesting, thank you for the details. As far as I know the only people who managed to do this legally were John and Kimberley (U.S.) http://www.mockandoneil.com/stg04r2.htm

I haven't found anyone who did it the other way - Pakistan to Afghanistan. I suppose if one is in position similar to John and Kimberley (experience/contacts) it is possible to get the paperwork legally done. For the rest, crossing Wakhan just as the locals (nomads) do in its very northern parts when trading goods and yaks is the only way (illegally as a foreigner). The article of John and Kimberley states that there is no police (mujahideen warlords) in this area. Not sure if that is still the case with the highway being built there from the Chinese/Tajik side. But it seems possible to me to slip through there into Tajikistan (so illegal crossing Pakistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan), being then at the mercy of the Tajik police, rather than Afghan. Crazy journey. Did anyone ever try?

[aba]

concerning the story of the arrested people, did they have multiple-entry visa?
The article http://www.mockandoneil.com/stg04r3.htm#dilisang quotes the minister of Tourism of Pakistan: Then, looking again at the passport, he remarked that he saw no problem with our request, as we had multiple-entry visas, valid for mountaineering, and that we could, of course, enter Pakistan at any checkpost!

[Christian77]

What these people did is no longer possible. The military doesn't care what sort of MFA or ambassadorial permission you have. They are the real boss, not some bureaucrat at an embassy or in Islamabad. A National Geographic photographer learned this the hard way, after collecting all these sorts of permissions.

Honestly, the rest of the info you collected is nonsense that has no connection to the reality on the ground.

As far as crossing illegally into Tajikistan, that will get you shot. I've been on the river many times on the Tajik and I'm surprised by how quickly the border guards appear out of nowhere in the middle of nowhere. They scold me, but they are clear that if I'm in the water, they have orders to shoot. And crossing legally will get you arrested with the Afghan exit check when they see you have no entry stamp.

It's not 1892. Aside from insecurity, you can't just waltz through these countries anymore. There are ID checks everywhere. There are rules, there are security forces.

[Christian77]

The people who got paperwork to go from Wakhan to Pakistan in the past were either academics with connections, or a famous photographer with connections. The first group did it 15 years ago with no issues on the ground. The second was arrested anyways, as the military is in charge, not whoever issued him some document. I think you can consider it a no-go these days. If National Geographic can't get permission, what chance do you have?

[jacoblab1]

Agree with Christian. I've been to all of these areas, but wouldn't dare to cross one of these borders illegally. Even if you manage to successfully cross, there are checkpoints everywhere and you will be arrested.

Also, the Chinese are now patrolling parts of the Tajik/Afghan border. I'm sure they'd have no qualms in shooting an illegal crosser that they suspect of drug trafficking.

As much as I'd like to do an expedition over Irshad Pass, I don't see it happening anytime soon. The expedition over the pass is a challenge in itself (the entire Wakhjir Valley is empty, and very remote), but the military permissions make it basically impossible.

Go via China if you need to get from Central Asia to Pakistan. You could try your luck at getting to Kabul and crossing the Khyber Pass, as you're much more likely to be successful doing that than crossing a remote Pamir Pass. It's still not safe, though.