- विज्ञापन -
Islamabad: After remaining closed for 25 days the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was opened at 1 PM, Pakistan time, on Wednesday, reports said.
Earlier, the border was sealed on February 21 after heated arguments over border disputes fueled tensions between the two countries.
The situation became worse after March 4 when talks between the two sides for reopening of the border failed and border security forces from both sides exchanged heavy fire. The ensuing clashes resulted in the death of an Afghan Taliban border guard and injuries to two others.
Since then, regular negotiations were being held between local tribal elders and through diplomatic channels to normalise the situation.
A flag meeting was held at the border on Wednesday morning in which representatives from both sides were present. The decision to open the important trade route was announced after the meeting. Moreover, a ceasefire has been mutually agreed upon by both Pakistan and Afghanistan, which will remain in place until the next meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC).
“We are satisfied with the Afghan authorities’ decision. They have agreed to remove the controversial construction that had led to tensions between the two sides,” said Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, head of the Pakistani Tribal Jirga.
The Torkham border crossing is the most important trade route between the two countries as it facilitates daily trade of about $3 million and sees through a movement of over 10,000 people.
However, on February 21, problems surfaced when the Afghan forces attempted to construct a military checkpoint near the border. Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) raised objection to the construction, claiming that the checkpoint was being constructed on the Pakistani side of the border. This ultimately led to the shutdown of the border crossing.
