Disputed Afghan-Pakistan border reopens after fighting

The border closure resulted in a complete halt to all trading activities between Pakistan and Afghanistan with hundreds of trucks loaded with merchandise stranded on the main road connecting Peshawar with Torkham.

Pakistani gate construction at the border has been a point of contention between the two governments but Islamabad has insisted it was necessary to prevent “terrorists” from entering the country.

Mission in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson called on Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif at General Headquarters in eastern Rawalpindi city, said military on Saturday.

Sources said that only the people having legal travel documents are being allowed to cross the border after it was reopened.

The spokesman for the governor of the Afghan province of Nangarhar, Ataullah Khogyani, confirmed the reopening of the border saying it happened after “days of negotiations” between the two sides.

The officials said the initiative of construction of the gate was the part of national action plan aiming to protect border.

Construction of the gate at Torkham continued on Friday, albeit at a snail’s pace, as the border crossing remained closed for the fifth consecutive day.

The route was reopened for traffic after officials from both the sides met early on Saturday and the curfew was lifted at Torkham, Dawn online quoted security sources as saying.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have almost 2600 kilometers border, mostly porous in hard mountainous terrain.

“These conversations continue to affect not only US dialogue with Pakistan on security and stability in Afghanistan but also during discussion of other issues in the US-Pakistan bilateral relationship such as security assistance”, the Pentagon said in its reports to the Congress.

Both sides are observing ceasefire along the border that has reduced the tension. However, both countries have deployed troops and tanks along the border.