KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Torkham, the busiest land crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, fully reopened on Saturday after a month-long closure that severely disrupted trade, travel, and humanitarian aid efforts.
The crossing was closed on February 21 following a dispute between the Taliban and Pakistani forces. The tensions reportedly began when Pakistani troops blocked the Taliban’s attempt to build a checkpoint near the border, sparking armed clashes that left several people injured on both sides.
The closure stranded thousands of travelers, cargo trucks, and patients on both sides of the border. The World Food Programme (WFP) said earlier that at least 47 of its trucks carrying critical humanitarian supplies had been stuck at the crossing. The agency warned that prolonged delays could impact its relief operations inside Afghanistan.
Although commercial traffic resumed on Wednesday, pedestrian movement remained restricted due to technical issues on the Pakistani side, including the incomplete reconstruction of immigration processing facilities.
Torkham, which connects Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, serves as a crucial route for bilateral trade and for Afghans seeking medical treatment in Pakistan.
On Friday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the temporary reopening of the border, emphasizing that a permanent solution would depend on further negotiations and the Taliban’s commitment not to build any new structures near the border without prior consultation.
“Torkham opened yesterday, and I think by tomorrow, pedestrian traffic will also be allowed,” said Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesperson for the ministry, during a weekly press briefing. “The current arrangement has been arrived at through mutual consultations, and this is a good, positive development which is up to 15th April.”
He added that both sides are expected to hold further negotiations in the coming weeks to establish a permanent mechanism to keep the crossing open.
The reopening comes amid strained relations between Kabul and Islamabad. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of providing safe haven to militants responsible for a surge in cross-border attacks, an allegation the regime in Kabul has consistently denied.
