Torkham border to reopen soon for trade and travel

KHYBER (Dunya News) – Preparation are underway to reopen Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan for usual trade and movement of people after the two countries agreed to an immediate ceasefire during talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey in Doha, Qatar.

Following negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, preparations to reopen the Torkham border have begun. According to sources, National Logistics Cell (NLC) officials have reinstalled import and export scanners at the border.

Sources also informed that restoration and cleaning work is also underway. Customs and other border officials have been assigned duties and are present at the border crossing.

Border authorities have stated that customs staff is already stationed at Torkham border, and once official orders are received from higher authorities, the border will be reopened. Formal movement of trade convoys between the two countries is expected to resume shortly thereafter.

Since the closure, the crossing been clogged with truckloads of supplies, mainly to Afghanistan, which faces a humanitarian and hunger crisis and relies heavily on food imports from Pakistan. The Ghulam Khan border in North Waziristan, the Angoor Adda crossing in South Waziristan and the Chaman border crossing in Balochistan were also shut down amid the standoff.

The closure has caused severe disruption to the flow of goods and travellers between the two countries. Long queues of vehicles have stretched for kilometres along the Torkham Highway, with many trucks carrying perishable goods now facing spoilage in the heat.