KHYBER: The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed for bilateral trade activities and pedestrian for the 17th consecutive day on Monday.
The Torkham border connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan with Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province has been closed since February 21 over disputed construction near the zero point on the Afghanistan side.
This has left hundreds of trucks and heavy vehicles stranded in long queues, and hundreds of passengers are also stranded on both sides of the border at Torkham.
The second round of the ‘loya jirga’ of Afghanistan and Pakistan delegations will be held today to find out ways of reponing the border. The first-round talks between the delegations of both nations were held on Sunday.
The Jirga agreed to maintain peace between the two countries and expressed mutual consent. The Afghan Jirga members have sought time to discuss the issues under discussion with the Afghan authorities. A session will be held tomorrow on the call of the Afghan Jirga.
Pak-Afghan security forces also traded heavy firing for three days, in which eight FC personnel were injured while three Afghan forces personnel were killed.
This includes children, the elderly, and women who are particularly worried and facing difficulties due to the closure.
Last week, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Afghan Consul General Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir agreed to work towards reopening the Torkham border for trade and travellers.
“The border must be reopened soon… The Afghan embassy should play its role in this matter,” Gandapur stated during a meeting with the Afghan diplomat in Peshawar.
The Torkham border, which connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan with Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, was shut on February 21 evening following a disputed construction near the zero point on the Afghanistan side.
This has left hundreds of trucks and heavy vehicles stranded in long queues, and hundreds of passengers are also stranded on both sides of the border at Torkham.
This includes children, the elderly, and women who are particularly worried and facing difficulties due to the closure.
Many are calling for the Torkham border to be opened for foot traffic so that passengers can reach their destinations promptly. There are currently no facilities available in Torkham, forcing people to stay outdoors even at night.
Jawad Afghani, a stranded passenger, told Pakhtun Digital English that when he arrived from Kashmir, he had no prior information about the border closure. Upon reaching Torkham, he found the border closed and has now spent two nights waiting.
He urged that the border be opened as soon as possible to alleviate the hardships faced by travellers.
According to Torkham border officials, the closure was prompted by construction work being carried out by Afghan forces at a controversial checkpoint. Despite repeated orders to cease work, the Afghan forces have continued their construction efforts. As a result, both commercial activities and pedestrian traffic have been suspended at the Torkham border crossing at Babdash, and security has been heightened on both sides.
Also Read: Pak-Afghan forces exchange fire at Torkham border
Torkham is one of the largest crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The two neighbours shared 18 crossings. The major crossings are Torkham, Chaman, Ghulam Khan, Angoor Adda and Kharlachi.
