The reopening of the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has brought relief to people and truck drivers carrying essential supplies who had been stranded due to its closure. The crossing, which is the main transit point between the two countries, had been shut down by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers nearly a week ago.
On Saturday, the Afghan embassy in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, announced the reopening of the Torkham border. Pakistani officials and Afghanistan’s Taliban-appointed administrator in Nangarhar province also confirmed that the border crossing was open to passengers and trade.
The closure of the key transit point had sparked disputes linked to the 2,600km (1,615-mile) border between the two countries that have been a bone of contention for decades. The reopening was made possible after Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and secret service chief Nadeem Anjum travelled to Kabul and met senior Taliban officials to discuss the closure and other issues.
The Taliban had shuttered the border on Sunday, alleging that Islamabad was denying Afghan migrants entry into Pakistan for medical care. This led to an exchange of fire between Afghan Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards on Monday, wounding a Pakistani soldier.
Following the talks, the crossing was briefly reopened by the Afghan Taliban to allow some of the thousands of trucks that had lined up for days at the border – many with vegetables, fruits and other perishable food items – to cross and ease the backlog. However, Pakistan shut the border on Thursday, saying it needed an explanation from the Afghan side about the abrupt closure on Sunday.
Finally, Pakistani and Taliban officials held talks on Friday and agreed to reopen the crossing. This announcement sparked joy and relief among those who had been waiting for the reopening of the international trade route. On Saturday, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed that Torkham was fully open for trade and movement of people. Jubilant Afghan and Pakistani truck drivers were crossing the key trade route with supplies.
The Pakistani government has accused the Taliban of sheltering armed attackers belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Afghan Taliban has rejected this accusation, as TTP is a separate armed group allied with the Taliban in Afghanistan that has been waging a rebellion against the state of Pakistan for more than a decade. The reopening of Torkham border crossing has thus brought much needed relief to people on both sides of the border.