Torkham border crossing reopens after brief closure

PESHAWAR: The Torkham border crossing, the main trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan, reopened on Tuesday after being closed by Afghanistan for a brief time.

Afghanistan had shut down the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan after the latter imposed visa requirements for Afghan drivers.

According to sources, Pakistan had announced that Afghan drivers would need visas to enter its territory. Since then, the entry of trucks at the border had been blocked.

The border closure had caused a huge backlog of trucks carrying essential goods and stranded hundreds of travellers on both sides.

According to Pakistani officials, after negotiations, the two sides agreed to reopen the border on Tuesday.

Afghanistan shuts down Torkham border, halts trade with Pakistan

The reopening of the border was welcomed by the traders and travellers who had been suffering from the disruption of trade and movement.

The border officials said that they had resumed the clearance of cargo vehicles and passengers in an orderly manner.

The Torkham border crossing is a vital commercial artery and a transit route to Central Asian countries for Pakistan. It is also a key crossing point for travellers and refugees between the two neighbours.

The border has been a source of tension and disputes for decades, as both countries have different interpretations of the colonial-era Durand Line that demarcates their border. The border has also witnessed frequent clashes and closures during the two-decade rule of the US-backed government and since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021