Travellers heave a sigh of relief as Torkham border reopens after 27 days
Pakistan
The border was closed in aftermath of skirmish between Afghanistan and Pakistan officials on Feb 21
KHYBER (Dunya News) - The Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Saturday reopened after 27 days following successful parleys between jirga notables on both sides.
The pedestrian movement was expected to resume a couple of days ago but the immigration system at the border faced a glitch even after opening of border.
Immigration officials said the border reopened for trade on Thursday after 25-day closure but glitches in the computer system stalled pedestrian movement.
A team of engineers fixed the issue paving the way for resumption of routine activities. Only those having visa or passport can travel to and from Afghanistan.
Earlier, only Afghan patients were allowed to enter Pakistan during border closure.
Torkham Border woes: Immigration system breakdown halts foot traffic
The border was closed in the aftermath of skirmish between Afghanistan and Pakistan officials on Feb 21 last. The exchange of fire damaged the immigration system.
According to security sources, a flag meeting between security officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan was held at the Afghan Customs House near the Torkham border. The meeting endorsed the decisions made in the joint Pak-Afghan Jirga a few days earlier.
Several Pakistani cargo trucks crossed into Afghanistan, while Afghan freight vehicles entered Pakistan soon after reopening of the border. The dispute arose amid concerns about Afghanistan’s construction of a border post, which Pakistan’s authorities declared illegal.
Torkham serves as a vital corridor for transporting goods between Pakistan and Central Asian countries. Around 10,000 or so people daily cross the border.
