Summary Decision was made during a meeting between the Army Chief and the Afghan Ambassador.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan and Afghanistan Friday mutually agreed to open the Torkham border for traffic. The border, sealed for the past 4 days, was opened on the orders of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Shareef. Trading resumed between the two countries once again after the border was opened.
According to the details, the decision was made during a meeting between the Army Chief and the Afghan Ambassador after the conflict was resolved.
Business between the countries suffered due to the sealing of the important trading route.
The move has been welcomed by Pakistani and Afghan citizens.
Tensions at the Pak-Afghanistan border had earlier surged as security forces started fencing the two-kilometre (km) area but Afghan authorities halted the process despite beforehand notice. Pakistani security forces had initiated the fencing process at Torkham over security concerns.
The border was shut leaving over 1,000 vehicles and people stranded.
Authorities from both the sides had convened several prior meetings however, not one proved fruitful. Security troops stood alert and took up positions after failed talks.
Pakistani authorities had maintained that Torkham would remain closed until a positive answer was not given from the neighbouring country.
Afghan army had reportedly driven armoured vehicles close to the border after the issue while Khyber Rifles (KR) Commandant Colonel Tariq Hafeez, leading contingents of Khyber Rifles and Khassadar and Levies personnel rushed to the border and took positions.
Different terrorist attacks in the past have been revealed to being planned in Afghanistan and terrorists had recently crossed Torkham border to execute the attack. Two persons belonging to influential families were also abducted and shifted to Afghanistan using the same passage.
