Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border reopens after 25-day clo
Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border reopens after 25-day closure
The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan which was sealed on February 21 after heated arguments over border disputes was reopened after 25 days
ISLAMABAD — The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was
opened at 1 PM, Pakistan time, on Wednesday after remaining closed for 25 days.
The border was sealed on February 21 after heated
arguments over border disputes fueled tensions between the two countries.
The situation became worse after March 4 when talks
between the two sides for reopening of the border failed and border security forces
from both sides exchanged heavy fire. The ensuing clashes resulted in the death
of an Afghan Taliban border guard and injuries to two others.
Since then, regular negotiations were being held between
local tribal elders and through diplomatic channels to normalise the situation.
A flag meeting was held at the border on Wednesday
morning in which representatives from both sides were present. The decision to
open the important trade route was announced after the meeting. Moreover, a
ceasefire has been mutually agreed upon by both Pakistan and Afghanistan, which
will remain in place until the next meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee
(JCC).
"We are satisfied with the Afghan authorities'
decision. They have agreed to remove the controversial construction that had
led to tensions between the two sides," said Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi,
head of the Pakistani Tribal Jirga.
The Torkham border crossing is the most important trade
route between the two countries as it facilitates daily trade of about $3 million
and sees through a movement of over 10,000 people.
However, on February 21, problems surfaced when the
Afghan forces attempted to construct a military checkpoint near the border.
Pakistan's Frontier Corps (FC) raised objection to the construction, claiming
that the checkpoint was being constructed on the Pakistani side of the border.
This ultimately led to the shutdown of the border crossing.
On March 9, the Pakistani jirga met with a delegation
from the Afghan Chamber of Commerce, conveying an official message about strict
adherence to the agreed protocols with border reopening.
"The joint jirga agreed to an immediate ceasefire
and a second session was scheduled on March 17 which was attended by a
36-member delegation from Pakistan. They held talks with a 25-member delegation
of the Afghan Taliban," said Kazmi, head of the Pakistani delegation.
"The jirga also agreed that there will be a
ceasefire until the 15th day of April and both countries will not carry out
construction in the disputed areas," he added.
The decision is being taken as a positive move from both
sides because it would not only restore economic activity, but will also help
in de-escalating the persisting tensions between the two countries along the
porous borders.
